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UNIVERSITY 

OF  PITTSBURGH 

LIBRARY 

THIS  BOOK  PRESENTED  BY 

Mr.  Howard  N.  Eavenson 

Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2009  with  funding  from 

University  of  Pittsburgh  Library  System 


http://www.archive.org/details/accountofcountriOOdobb 


To  which  are  added. 


I.  A  Letter  from  Bartholorneiu  dc  Fonie, 
Vice- Admiral  of  Peru  and  Mexico  ; 
giving  ail  Account  of  his  Voyage  from 
Li?na  in  Peru,  to  prevent,  or  feize  upon 
any  Ships  that  fliould  attempt  to  find 
a  North- wefl  Faflage  to  the  South  Sea. 

If.  All  Abftraft  of  all  the  Difcoveries 
which Jiave  been  publifh'd  of  thelflands 
and  Countries  in  and  adjoining  to  the 
(ireat  Wiiftern  Ocean,  between  Ame- 
rica,   India,  and  China,  &c.  pointing 


out  the  Advantages  that  may  be  made, 
if  a  fhort  Paffage  fliould  be  found  thro' 
Hiidfon's  Streight  to  that  Ocean. 

III.  The  Hudfon's  i?a;  Compam-'s  Charter. 

IV.  The  Standard  of  Trade  in  thofc 
Parts  of  America  ;  with  an  Account 
of  the  Exports  and  Profits  made  an- 
nually by  the  Hudfon'i  Bay  Compani*. 

V.  Vocabularies  of  the  Languages  of  fc- 
veral  Indian  Nations  adjoinino'  to  Hud- 
fon'i Bay. 


The  whole  intended  to  fhew  the  great  Probability  of  a  North-west 
Passage,  fo  long  defired  ;  and  which  (if  difcovered)  would  be  of  the- 
higheft  Advantage  to  thefe  Kingdoms. 


A  ceo  U  N  T 

Of  the  Countries  adjoining  to 

H  U  D  S  O  N's    BAT^, 

IN    THE 

North-west  Part  of  AMERICA: 

CONTAINING 

A  Description  of  their  Lakes  and  Rivers,  the  Nature  of  the 
Soil  and  Climates,  and  their  Methods  of  Commerce,  ^c. 
Shewing  the  Benefit  to  be  made  by  fetthng   Colonies,   and 
opening  a  Trade  in  thefe  Parts ;    whereby  the  French  will  be 
deprived  in  a  great  Meafure  of  their  Trap  pick  in  Furs,  and 
the  Communication  between  Canada  and  MiJfiJJippi  be  cut  off. 
with 
An  Abstract  of  Captain  Middletonh  Journal,  and  Observations  upon 
his  Behaviour  during  his  Voyage,,  and  fince  his  Return. 


By    A  R  r  H  U  R     D  O  B  B  S,     Efq; 


LONDON: 
Printed  for  J.  Robinson,   at  the  Golden  Lion  in  Ludgate-Street. 
M  DCC  XLIV, 


1) 


•••<? 


T  O    T   H   E 

K      IN      G. 

S  1 1^, 
rir^HE    Divine  Providence  having   called 

I  Your  Aiigufl  Family  to  the  Govern- 
ment of  the  Britijh  Empire,  and  placed 
Your  Majefty  on  the  Throne,  to  be  the  Guar- 
dian of  our  Civil  and  Religious  Liberties  j  not 
content  with  fecuring  thefe  ineftimable  Bleffings 
to  Your  own,  Your  Majefty  extends  Your  au- 
fpicious  Regards  to  other  Nations  :  Thofe  of 
Europe  have  already  experienced  the  happy  In- 
fluence of  Your  Royal  Care,  and  hope  for  the 
Reftoration  of  Peace,  and  Continuance  of  their 
Tranquillity,  and  future  Profperity,  from  the 
Succefs  of  Your  Arms,  and  the  Wifdom  of 
Your  Counfels.  While  Your  Majefty  is  aflert- 
ing  and  defending  the  Rights  of  Princes  abroad, 
Your  Britijh  Dominions  reap  the  Fruits  of  Your 
gracious  and  Prudent  Adminiftration  j  extend- 
ing their  Commerce,  increafing  in  Wealth,  and 
flouriftiins  with  Arts  and  Sciences.  Since  thefe 
Advantages  for  Your  People  are  the  perpetual 
Objedis  of  Your  Care,  permit  me,    SIR,    to 

implore 


11 


DEDICATION. 


implore  Your  Royal  Patronage  of  the  follow- 
ing Sheets,  which  are  publifhed  with  no  other 
View  than  that  of  increafing  the  Commerce  and 
Riches  of  Your  Kingdoms :  An  Intention  that 
muft  always  be  agreeable  to  Your  Majefty, 
which  they  are  calculated  to  improve,  by  open- 
ing a  new  Field  of  Trade,  where  ^^aft  Improve- 
ments may  be  made,  and  Nations  yet  unknown 
may  be  made  happy,  and  contribute  to  raife 
the  Power  and  Fame  of  Britain  j  from  whence 
Your  Sacred  Name  will  derive  additional  Ho- 
nour, and  Your  Realms  a  conliderable  Increale 
of  Wealth  and  Happinefs. 

That  Your  Majefty's  Reign  may  be  long 
and  glorious,  over  a  free  and  grateful  People, 
is  the  ardent  Wilh  and  Prayer  of, 

J\4ay  it  pleafe  Tour  Majefty^ 

Tour  Majefty^ s 

moft  dutiful^ 

and  moft  obedient 

SubjeSi  and  Servant^ 

Arthur   Dobbs. 


(I ) 


A   N 


ACCOUNT 


O  F    T  H  E 


Situation^    Climate  and  Trade ^    of  the  Coun- 
tries adjoining  to  Hudfon'^  Bay^  &c. 


lUD SON'S  Bay  Is  a  great  inland  Sea,  iituated  betwixt 
51  and  65  Degrees  North  Latitude,  and  from  78  to 
95  Weft  Longitude  from  London,  being  in  Length 
from  Nodivay  and  Moofe  Rivers,  in  the  Bottom  of 
_  the  Bay,  to  Whalebone  Point,  14  Degrees  j  which, 
at  69  Englijh  Miles  to  a  Degree,  is  about  970  Miles ;  and  in  Breadth 
from  Digg's  IJle,  the  Eaft  Entrance  of  the  Bay,  to  the  Land  Weft- 
ward  of  Churchill  Ri'ver,  200  Leagues,  of  20  to  a  Degree,  690 
Miles,  furrounded  by  a  great  Continent,  except  the  Opening  of 
Hudfon's  Streight,    and  the  North-weft  Side  of  the  Bay,    which 

B  appears 


(I ) 


A   N 


ACCOUNT 


O  F    T  H  E 


Situation^    Climate  and  Trade ^   of  the  Coun- 
tries adjoining  to  Hudfon\  Bay^  Sec. 


\UD SON'S  Bay  Is  a  great  inland  Sea,  fituated  betwixt 
51  and  65  Degrees  North  Latitude,  and  from  78  to 
95  Weft  Longitude  from  London,  being  in  Length 
from  Nodway  and  Moofe  Rivers,    in  the  Bottom  of 

the  Bay,    to  Whalebone  Pointy   14  Degrees  j    which, 

at  69  Engiip  Miles  to  a  Degree,  is  about  970  Miles ;  and  in  Breadth 
ivomDigg's  Ijle,  the  Eaft  Entrance  of  the  Bay,  to  the  Land  Weft- 
ward  of  Churchill  River,  200  Leagues,  of  20  to  a  Degree,  690 
Miles,  furrounded  by  a  great  Continent,  except  the  Opening  of 
Hudfon's  Streight,    and  the  North-weft  Side  of  the  Bay,    which 

B  appears 


( ^) 


to  be  all   broken  Land,  the  furrounding  Coaft  being  above  3000 
Englip  Miles. 

Thefe  Countries,  tho'  moft  of  them  are  In  cold  Climates,  yet 
in  the  coldeft  Parts,  even  North  of  the  Polar  Circle,  are  inhabited 
by  the  Ejkimaux  Indians ;  and  by  the  Whalebone  and  Oil,  Skins 
and  Furs  got  there  at  prefent,  areofconfiderable  Advantage  tothofe 
who  are  concerned  in  that  Trade  ;  and  If  the  Trade  was  laid  open, 
would  be  of  vaftly  greater  Benefit  to  Britain^  by  affording  a  con- 
fiderable  Market  for  our  coarfe  "Woollen  and  Iron  Manufactures  ; 
and  by  forming  proper  Settlements  in  healthy  and  (helter'd  Situa- 
tions, out  of  the  fwampy  Grounds,  there  might  be  comfortable 
Settlements  made  in  moil  Places,  and  very  tolerable,  even  in  the 
worfh  and  coldeft  Parts  of  that  Continent,  which  are  the  North- 
eaft  and  North-weft  Sides  of  the  Bay ;  but  in  the  Southern  and 
Weftern  Sides  of  the  Bay,  there  might  be  made  as  comfortable 
Settlements  as  any  in  Sivedeii,  Livonia^  or  the  South  Side  of  the 
Baltick  ;  and  farther  into  the  Country  South-weft,  the  Climate  Is 
as  good  as  the  Southern  Part  oi  Poland,  and  North  Part  of  Germa- 
ny and  Holland ;  nothing  being  wanting  to  make  it  fo,  but  the 
building  convenient  Houfes  with  Stoves,  fuch  as  are  ufed  In  the 
fame  Climates  in  Europe.  ♦ 

The  Reafon  why  the  Manner  of  living  there  at  prefent  appears  to 
be  fo  difmal  to  us  in  Britain,  is  Intirely  owing  to  the  Monopoly 
and  Avarice  of  the  Hiidfoji's,  Bay  Company,  (not  to  give  it  a 
harftier  Name)  who,  to  deter  others  from  trading  there,  or  mak- 
ing Settlements,  conceal  all  the  Advantages  to  be  made  In  that 
Country,  and  give  out,  that  the  Climate,  and  Country,  and  Paf- 
fage  thither,  are  much  worfe,  and  more  dangerous,  than  they 
really  are,  and  vaftly  worfe  than  might  be,  if  thofe  Seas  were 
more  frequented,  and  proper  Settlements  and  Improvements  were 
made,  and  proper  Situations  chofen  for  that  Purpofe  ;  this  they  do^ 
that  they  may  ingrofs  a  beneficial  Trade  to  themfelves,  and  there- 
fore oblige  their  Captains  not  to  make  any  Charts  or  Journals  that 
may  difcover  thofe  Seas  or  Coafts,  in  order  to  prevent  others  from 
failing  to  their  Fadories.  They  alfo  prevent  their  Servants  from 
giving  any  Account  of  the  Climate  or  Countries  adjacent,  that 
might  be  favourable,  and  induce  others  to  trade  and  fettle  there ; 
nor  do  they  encourage  their  Servants,  or  even  allow  them  to  make 
any  Improvements  without  their  Fadtories,    unlefs  it  be  a  Turnip 

Garden  v 


(  3  ) 

Garden  ;  confining  them  all  the  Summer  Seafon,  during  the  Time 
of  the  Indian  Trade,  witliin  their  Fadlories,  left  they  lliould  trade 
by  Stealth  with  the  Natives,  and  by  a  Crane  let  down  their 
Goods  to  the  Natives,  and  take  up  their  Furs  and  Skins  in  Ex- 
change ;  by  which  Means  no  Improvement  can  be  made  but  their 
Kitchen  Garden  adjoining  to  their  Factories ;  nor  can  any  com- 
fortable Settlements  be  made  ;  for  they,  not  having  thirty  Men  in 
any  of  their  Faftories,  dare  not  go  at  any  Diftance  either  to  im- 
prove or  make  Difcoveries,  their  whole  Time  being  employed  in 
cutting  and  carrying  Wood  for  their  Winter  Firing,  and  catching 
Fifli,  and  killing  Geefe,  for  their  Winter  Provilions ;  in  which  the 
Natives  generally  affift  them,  by  fliooting  for  them  in  the  Swamps, 
they  depending  upon  Britain  for  all  other  Things  for  their  Suite- 
nance  ;  which,  if  Settlements  were  made  in  proper  Places,  might 
very  well  be  raifed  and  procured  in  thofe  Countries. 

I  therefore  think  myfelf  obliged,  from  the  Accounts  publiflied 
by  the  French^  and  from  what  I  have  had  communicated  to  me  by 
thofe  who  have  refided  there,  or  have  been  employed  in  that  Trade, 
and  particularly  from  what  I  have  collected  from  Jofeph  la  France^ 
a  French  Canadefe  Indian,  who  was  born  near  the  French  Lakes, 
and  lived  and  traded  from  thefe  Lakes  to  Monreal  and  ^ebec  for 
above  thirty  Years,  and  having  furrounded  the  fuperior  Lake,  had, 
in  a  Journey  of  three  Years,  pafled  from  thence  to  Tork  Fort,  on 
Nelfon  River,  through  all  the  Lakes  and  Rivers  on  the  South- 
weft  Side  of  the  Bay,  and  came  over  in  Septe?nber,  1742,  from 
thence  :  I  fay,  I  think  myfelf  obliged  to  make  publick  all  I  can 
depend  upon  of  the  Climate,  Soil,  Lakes  and  Rivers,  contiguous 
to  the  Bay,  and  the  Indian  Nations  adjoining,  and  alio  what  Im- 
provements this  fpacious  Country  is  capable  of,  and  of  the  great 
Benefit  which  may  be  made  of  the  Trade,  in  cafe  it  be  laid  open, 
and  Settlements  be  made  there  :  For  by  that  Means  the  Fur  Trade 
might  be  vaflly  enlarged,  and  be  intirely  recovered  from  the  Fre?ich, 
which  they  have  now  in  great  Meafure  gained  from  us  by  the  Mo- 
nopoly and  Avarice  of  the  Company,  upon  account  of  the  exorbi- 
tant Prices  they  take  for  their  Goods  from  the  Natives,  even  to 
2000  per  Cent.  Profit ;  who,  for  that  Reafon,  fell  their  mofl  va- 
luable Furs  to  the  French,  tho'  the  Carriage  to  Canada  be  near 
200  Leagues  farther  than  to  our  Fadories. 

B  2  Since 


(  4  ) 

Since  the  Eaflern  Main  of  Hudfon's  Bay,  otherwife  called  Terra 
de  Labarador,  extends  to  the  Atlantick  Ocean,  North  of  New- 
foundland, in  which  many  of  the  Efmnaux  Indians  live,  who  feed 
upon  raw  Flefh  and  Fiih,  preferved  in  the  Winter  by  Frofl ;  I 
fhall,  in  this  Defcription  of  the  Bay,  take  notice  of  the  Eafl  Coaft 
of  that  Country,  fo  far  as  it  is  known,  from  the  Streight  of  Bell 
IJle  in  Newfoundlafid,  in  52  Degrees,  to  Button'?,  IJle,  at  the  En- 
trance into  Hudfon'z  Streight,  in  about  61  Degrees,  which  extends 
about  620  Miles. 

This  Coafl,  from  Hudfon's  Streight  to  57°,  is  pefier'd  with  Ice 
in  the  Beginning  of  Summer,  occafioned  by  the  Quantity  which 
comes  out  from  the  feveral  Inlets  there,  as  well  as  that  which  comes 
from  Hudfon's,  and  Davis's  Streights,  thefe  Iflands  of  Ice  being  fre- 
quently carried  as  far  as  the  Banks  of  Newfoundland,  before  they 
are  dilTolved  ;  but  the  reft  of  the  Coaft  to  the  Southward,  from  57 
to  52°,   is  free  from  Ice. 

Aloncf  that  Coaft  a  very  fine  Fifhery  might  be  carried  on,  there 
■being  as  fine  and  large  Fifh  there  as  any  upon  the  Coaft  of  New- 
foundland ;  and  at  the  fame  time  a  Trade  for  Furs  might  be  intro- 
duced with  the  Natives,  the  Furs  upon  the  Eaft  Main  being  as 
fine  as  any  in  America,  and  richer  than  thofe  to  the  Southward. 
The  French  fi-om  Canada  get  the  moft  of  thefe  at  prefent,  there 
being  none  to  interfere  with  them  in  that  Trade,  it  being  too  far 
from  the  Fadories  in  the  Bay,  and  at  prefent  it  is  open  to  any  who 
fhould  50  there  to  trade  or  fifti  ;  and  it  would  prevent  the  Natives, 
by  getting  a  Market  nearer  Home,  from  going  fo  far  to  trade  with 
the  French  ;  our  Goods  alfo  could  be  afforded  cheaper  than  the 
French  Goods  from  Canada. 

In  the  Latitude  56°.  is  a  very  great  and  bold  Inlet  to  this  Coun- 
try, into  which  Captain  Dflw  fail'd  10,  and  Captain  Weymouth 
aftervv'ards  30  Leagues,  which  was  2  Leagues  wide  j  the  Sea,  Inlet 
and  Coaft,  was  full  of  the  fineft  Cod  that  Davis  had  ever  feen; 
there  were  great  Numbers  of  all  forts  of  Land  and  Water-fowl,  and 
the  Country  full  of  fine  Woods,  of  Fir,  Pine,  Alder,  Yew,  Withy 
and  Birch  ;  he  coafted  that  Land  to  the  Southward  of  the  Inlet 
four  or  five  Days,  and  found  it  improve  in  Woods  and  low 
Grounds,  with  fair  Inlets,  and  vaft  Numbers  of  Cod.  It  is  fur- 
prizing  that  none  of  late  have  attempted  to  begin  a  Trade  there 
with  the  Natives  ;  at  firft  they  might  not  only  make  faving,  but 

beneficial 


(s  ) 


beneficial  Voyages,  by  the  Fiflit  to  be  caught  tnere,  ana  ano  oy  na.- 
Vcil  Stores  ;  for  undoubtedly  the,Timber  and  Mafls  there  are  Wrong- 
er and  more  durable  than  thofe  which  grow  in  New-England,  they 
being  of  a  flower  Growth,  as  it  is  a  colder  Climate,  and  confe- 
quently  the  Timber  would  be  clofer  in  the  Grain,  and  tougher,  as 
well  as  more  durable. 

It  is  more  than  probable  that  this,  or  fome  other  Inlet  near  it, 
may  go  into  the  Heart  of  that  Country,  which  feems  to  be  made 
up  of  Iflands  near  Hudfon's  Streight  ;  for  a  great  inland  Sea  has 
been  difcovered  lately  within  the  Eaft  Main  from  Hudjon'i  Bay, 
betwixt  Sleepers  IJle  and  Cape  Smith,  in  Lat.  59°.  which  is  2  or 
300  Leagues  in  Circumference,  and  probably  may  have  a  Commu- 
nication with  fome  of  thefe  Inlets. 

The  Entrance  of  Hiidfoii's  Streight,  betwixt  Button's  Ijle  to  the 
Southward,  in  about  Lat.  61°.  and  Cape  Warwick,  the  South  End 
of  Refolution  IJle,  in  Lat.  61°,  25',  and  Long.  64°  Weflfrom  hon- 
don,  is  about  1 3  Leagues  wide.  In  the  South  Side  is  a  great  Bay 
or  Inlet  never  yet  failed  into  ;  here  the  Variation  is  40°  Weft,  the 
Depth  200  Fathoms  in  the  Channel.  Beyond  this,  about  87 
Leagues  from  the  Entrance,  is  Cape  Hope  ;  further  Weftward  is 
Prince  Henrfs  Foreland  and  Cape  Charles  ;  and  at  the  Weft  End 
of  the  Streight,  and  South  Side  is  Cape  Diggs,  in  Lat,  62°.  42'. 
and  Long.  77°.  45'.  Weft  140  Leagues  from  Refolution  IJle,  which 
is  the  whole  Length  of  the  Streight. 

From  Cape  Charles  to  the  Weftern  Savage  Ifle,  in  the  Middle 
of  the  Streight,  it  is  15  Leagues  in  Breadth  ;  and  at  the  Weft 
End,  from  Cape  Diggs  to  Cape  Charles,  on  the  North  Shore,  the 
Streight  is  enlarged  to  20  Leagues. 

There  are  feveral  great  Bays  and  Inlets  in  the  South  Side,  with 
Head-lands  and  Iflands,  it  being  all  a  broken  Coaft,  crowded  with 
Ice  in  the  Beginning  of  Summer  j  fome  of  thefe  probably  com- 
municate with  the  inland  Sea  lately  difcovered  upon  the  Eaft 
Main. 

The  North  Shore  is  alfo  a  broken  Land,  full  of  Inlets  and 
Iflands  }  the  firft  were  called  the  Ifles  of  God's  Mercy,  the  next 
were  called  Savage  IJles,  about  60  Leagues  from  the  Entrance. 
Beyond  thefe  is  Nicholas  Ifle,  Cape  Cook,  on  the  Eaft  Side  of  it, 
and  Cape  Dorfet  to  the  Weftward  ;  thefe  laft  were  fo  named  by 
Fox.     Ten  Leagues  W.  N.  W.  is  Prince  Charles'^  Foreland,  the 

North- 


(6) 

North- weft  Side  of  the  Streight.  Five  Leagues  North-weft  from 
this  is  King  Charles's  Pi'omontary,  in  Lat,  64°.  46' ;  and  fix  Leagues 
Northward  of  that  Promontary,  in  Lat.  65°.  13'.  is  C-A^t  Maria. 
In  Lat. 6  5°.  26.  is  Cape  Dorchejier,  near  which  are  three  Iflands 
called  'Trifi'ity  IJlei.  North  of  thefe  is  Cooks  IJle,  and  North-eaft  of 
this,  in  Lat.  66".  35'.  is  Lord  JVeJion's  Portland  ;  beyond  which 
the  Land  falls  off  to  the  Eaftward  toward  Cumberland's  Inlet. 

At  the  Entrance  of  the  Bay,  in  Lat.  63°.  30'.  Long.  78°.  Weft,  is- 
Salisbury  IJle ;  and  to  the  Weftward  of  it  Nottingham  IJle,  North- 
weft  of  which  lie  M/V/ 7/7^^,  in  Lat.  64°.  20'.  Long.  80'.  30'.  Weft. 
All  the  Coaft  on  each  Side  the  Streight  is  very  high,  covered  with 
Snow,  and  the  Coaft  crowded  with  Iflands  of  Ice,  until  the  lat- 
ter End  of  Summer,  when  it  is  moftly  difcharged  into  the  Ocean, 
or  diffolved  by  the  Sun.  There  are  great  Numbers  of  Sea-horfes, 
Seals  and  White  Bears  feen  there  ;  but  no  other  Fifli  are  feen,  nor 
any  Whales,  except  a  little  Way  within  the  Entrance,  as  they 
pafs  to  Davis's  Streight. 

At  the  Entrance  of  the  Bay,  14  Leagues  Weft  from  Cape  Diggs, 
is  Manfel's  IJle,  which  is  20  Leagues  long,  and  about  3  Leagues 
broad.  It  is  a  low  flat  Ifland,  not  to  be  feen  above  three  or  four 
Miles  from  the  Deck  in  clear  Weather,  with  deep  Water  clofe  to 
the  Shore.  The  North  End  is  in  Lat.  62°.  40'.  and  Long.  79°. 
5'.  Weft. 

The  Coaft  upon  the  Eaft  Main,  Eaft  of  the  Bay,  from  Cape 
Diggs  to  the  Bottom  of  the  Bay  in  51°.  to  Rupert's  and  Nodway 
Rivers,  is  very  little  known.  There  are  many  Iflands  at  fome 
Diftance  from  the  Coaft,  as  the  North  Sleepers,  twenty  Leagues 
from  the  Coaft,  in  Lat.  61°.  and  the  Wejlern  Sleepers  in  59°.  Be- 
twixt thefe  on  the  Main  is  Cape  Smith,  near  which  was  lately  found 
an  Inlet  to  that  great  inland  Sea  before-mentioned.  In  59°.  South 
of  the  Wejlern  Sleepers,  are  a  Number  of  Iflands  called  the  Baker's 
Dozen.  There  are  many  more  namelefs  Iflands  fcattered  along  the 
Coaft  towards  the  Bottom  of  the  Bay,  from  thence  to  53°.  where 
the  Coaft  begins  to  be  low  and  full  of  Trees.  In  about  52°.  is 
Slude  River,  where  the  Company  have  a  Houfe  and  feven  or 
eight  Servants.  To  the  Northward  of  it  is  a  Rock  of  clear  Stone, 
which  proves  to  be  Mitfcovy  Glafs.  To  the  Southward  of  Slude 
River,  in  51°.  is  Rupert's  River,  difcovered  by  Zachariah  Gillam 
in  1667,  where  the  Company  eftablifhed  their  firft  Faftory.  He 
I  found 


(   7) 

tound  eight  Feet  Water  at  the  Entrance,  and  anchor'd  within  it 
in  2  Fathoms  and  a  half  in  frefli  Water,.  The  River  there  was  a 
Mile  broad  ;  its  Courle  came  from  E.  S.  E,  it  flow'd  in  that  Ri- 
ver eight  Feet.  All  the  Trees  were  Spruce  except  on  an  Ifland  in 
the  River,  which  was  full  of  Poplars.  From  that  to  St.  Marga- 
ret's River,  which  falls  into  the  River  St.  Laurence,  is  about  1 50 
Leagues.  A  little  to  the  Southward  of  this  is  Frenchman'^  River, 
which  Cometh  from  the  S.  E.  and  a  little  to  Southward  is  Nodivafs 
River,  which  runneth  from  the  S.  S.  E.  This  lafl  is  five  Miles 
broad  to  the  Falls,  full  of  Iflands  and  Rocks,  upon  which  Geefe 
breed.  There  are  alfo  great  Numbers  of  Duck,  Teal  and  Plover. 
To  the  Weft  ward  of  this  is  Point  Comfort,  where  are  many  Seals, 
and  fome  white  Whales,  as  big  as  Grampus', 

About  eight  Days  Journey  from  Nodiivafs,  River  to  the  Weft- 
ward,  in  the  Bottom  of  the  Bay,  is  Moofe  River  or  Monjipi,  in 
51°.  28'.  Lat.  This  is  a  very  large  River,  upon  which  the  Com- 
pany have  a  Fadlory,  and  might  have  a  very  confiderable  Trade, 
About  twenty  Leagues  from  this  River  in  52°.  is  Albany  River, 
or  Kichichouan,  another  very  large  River  upon  which  the  Compa- 
ny have  a  Fadiory,  which  runneth  from  the  W.  S.  W.  North- 
ward from  this  on  the  Weft  Coaft,  is  a  fmall  River  called  JE^jco;;, 
not  regarded,  nor  any  Thing  obiervable  upon  that  Coaft  ;  from 
thence  to  Cape  Henrietta  Maria  in  55°.  from  the  Moofe  River 
to  this  Cape  is  about  80  Leagues,  and  the  Breadth  of  the  Bay 
here  about  50  Leagues  ;  at  the  Bottom  of  the  Bay  it  is  about 
40  Leagues  wide  ;  in  that  Space  are  many  Iflands,  Viner's  Ifland 
near  the  Weft  Shore  in  Lat.  52°.  is  30  Leagues  in  Circuit  ;  Lord 
Wefton'%  Ifle  in  Lat.  53°.  5' ;  Roe'%  in  Lat.  52°.  10'.  full  of  fmall 
Wood ;  Denbigh's  and  Cbarleton's  in  Lat.  52°.  3'.  on  the  laft 
Captain  j^fl/w«  wintered  in  1632;  Hafs  Ifland  more  foutherly, 
on  which  the  Company  had  once  a  Factory  ;  Robinfon's  and  JVil- 
low  Ifland  near  the  South  Shore,  and  many  other  namelefs  Iflands. 

From  Cape  Henrietta  Maria  the  Coaft  falls  away  to  the  W.  N. 
W.  and  the  Bay  is  enlarged. 

In  Lat.  56°.  is  the  River  Savanne,  or  New  Severn,  called  by 
the  French  St.  Huiles,  a  fine  River,  tho'  not  deep,  call'd  by  the 
Indians  Kouachoue  ;  it  is  full  of  Woods  within  Land,  and  Pools  of 
Water,  in  which  Beavers  abound,  and  many  other  Beafts  of  rich 
Fvirs. 

Noi'th- 


(  8  ) 

North-wefl  from  this  River,  in  Lat.  57".  is  Nelfon  River,  cali'J 
by  the  French  the  River  Bourbon.     In  Haf^  Ifland,  upon  this  Ri- 
ver, is  Tork  Fort,  a  Faftory  belonging  to  the  Company.     This  is 
a  noble,    fine  River,  running  through  many  Lakes,  for  fome  hun- 
dred Leagues,    from  the  South-weft  ;    it  is  of  difficult  Entrance, 
the  Water  without  of  a  red,    muddy,  fandy  Colour,  and  fhallow, 
not  7  or  8  Fathom  out  of  Sight  of  Land  :    There  are  two  fmall 
Iflands  to  the  South-eaftward  of  it,    at  4  Leagues  Diftance,    it  is 
rtioal,    and  full  of  Breakers,    where  they  muft  conftantly  ufe  the 
Lead  ;    the  Tide  here  rifes  from  9  to  1 2  Feet.     Forty  Leagues  to 
Northward  of  this  is  the  DaniJJj  or  Churchill  River,    in  Lat.  58°, 
56',    a  noble  River,    and  a  deep,   bold  Entrance  ;    the  Tide  flows 
here   from    10  to   14  Feet.     Here  is  the  Prince  of  Wales's  Fort, 
upon  which  they  have  40  Guns  mounted  :    This  is  the  Company's 
chief  Facflory,  and  is  new  built  of  Lime  and  Stone  ;    it  ftands  ele- 
vated 40  Feet  high,    on  the  North- weft  Side  of  the  River,  within 
two  Points,  one  called  Cape  Merry,  the  other  EJkimaux  Point.  On 
the  South-eart  Side  of  the  Point  is  Ward's  Mount  j   1 5   Leagues 
to  the  Northward  is  the  River  the  French   call  Loup  Marine,  or 
River  of  Seals  ;  in  Lat.  59°.  40'.  is  the  Place  call'd  Hubbari's  Hope, 
and  in  60°.  30'.  Cape  Fjkimaux;  in  Lat.  61°.  is  Hopes  check" d ;  a 
flatfand  Coaft,  with  Iflands  lying  ofFit  ;  in  Lat,  6i°.  40'.  are  three 
Iflands  at  fome  Diftance  from  the  Coaft;  from  thence  to  Lat.  62". 
is  a  broken  Coaft  full   of  Iflands,  called  by  Fox,  Briggs's  Mathe-' 
maticks.     The  Company  at  prefent  fend  a  Sloop  to  this  Latitude 
annually  from  Churchill  to  Whale  Cove,  where  they  trade  with  the 
EJkimaux  for  Whale-fin  and  Oil,  there  being  plenty  of  Whales 
from  that  Place  along  the  Coaft  to  65°.  all  the  Coaft  being  a  bro- 
ken Land,  full  of  Iflands  and  Inlets.     In  Lat.  62°.  30' is  Dun  Fox's 
Ifland,  with  many  Iflands  betwixt  it  and  the   fuppos'd  Main.     In 
Lat.63°.  is  an  Ifland  called  Marble  Ifland,  or  Brook  Cobham  by  Captain 
Middleton,  tho'   not  the  fame  fo  called  by  Fox,  within  3  Leagues 
of  the  Coaft  ;  it  is  about  7  Leagues  long,  and  3  broad,  its  Length 
from  Eaft  to  Weft  ;  on  the  South-fide  is  a  fine  Cove  fafe  fi-om  all 
Winds,  an  Ifland  lying  crofs  the  Entrance,  and  an  Opening  in  the 
Coaft   Weft  ward  of  the  Ifland,    from    whence  the  Tide  flowed 
with  a  great  Current;  the  Tide  fometimes  rifing  there  22  Feet; 
it  is  in  Long.  93°.  40'.  Weft  from  London.  On  this  Ifland  are  white 
Bears,  Deer,  Swans,  Ducks,  and  other  Water-fowl. 

»  To 


(9) 

To  the  North-eaflward  of  this  Ifland,    in  Lat.  63%  20',  is  a 
Head-land,   near  which  were  many  Whales  feen  by  Captain  Mtd- 
dleton  upon  his  Return  ;    he  took  it  to  be  a  Head-land  upon  the 
Main  ;  but  Fox  called  this  Brook  Cobham^  and  fays  it  is  an  Ifland  of 
white  Marble,    fix  or  feven  Miles  long,  upon  which  he  hunted  a 
Rain-deer,   and  got  Swans  and  other  Fowl,  and  faw  forty  Whales 
fleeping  near  it  j    betwixt  it  and  the  Coaft  was  all  broken  Shelves, 
and  a  great  Bay  betwixt  the  high  Land  to  the  North,  and  the  low 
Ground  to  the  Southward  ;    there  was  a  Cove  or  Harbour  on  the 
Eaft  Side,  where  a  Ship  might  lie  in  Safety  in  two  Fathoms  at  low 
Water.  From  this  Ifland  or  Head-land  is  a  great  Bay  in  Land,  and. 
then  another  Head-land  in  Lat.  64°,   i  o',    which  is  alfo  an  Ifland, 
Soundings  betwixt  them  from  3  5  to  72  Fathoms,  all  within  is  bro- 
ken Land  and  Iflands.     This  Head-land  Scroggs  called  Cape  Ful- 
lerton ;  this  was  Pbx's  Welcome^  and  Button's  Ne  Ultra.     Here  is  a 
great  Bay,  an  Opening  betwixt  this  and  Whalebone  Point,  in  Lat. 
64",  56',  in  which  Scroggs  faw  many  Whales,  and  Captain  Norton 
from  a  high  Land  faw  an  open  Sea  leading  to  the  Southward  of 
the  Weft. 

North-eaft  of  this  Point,  in  Lat.  65°,   10',  Long.  88°,  6' Weft, 
a  fair  Cape  or  Head-land  was  difcovered  by  Captain  MiJd/eton, 
which  he  called  Cape  Dobbs ;   to  the  Northward  of  which  was  an 
Opening,    River  or  Streight,    which  at  the  Entrance,  in  Lat.  65°, 
24,    was  fix  or  feven  Miles  wide,    and  from  14  to  44  Fathoms 
deep  in  the  mid  Channel ;    it  continued  of  that  Breadth  for  4  or  c 
Miles ;  4  Leagues  higher  it  was  4  or  5  Leagues  wide  j  and  higher 
up  even  to  30  Leagues.     It  was  from  8  to  10  Leagues  wide,  and 
above  70  Fathom  deep.     The  Courfe  of  the  River  was  about  N. 
Weft    by  Compafs,    which  Variation    allowed  of  35°,    is  about 
W.  by  N.     At  a  high  Bluff,  on  the  South- weft  Side,  30  Leagues 
up  the  River,  they  faw  a  large  Streight  or  River,  4  or  5  Leagues 
wide,  running  W.  S.  W.  with  high,  mountainous,  broken  Lands, 
on  each  Side.     The  Tide  flowed  from  the  Eaftward  at  the  Mouth 
of  the  River,  and  in  the  Narrows  5  or  6  Miles  in  an  Hour,     At 
the  Entrance,  without  in  the  Welcome,  and  for  a  confiderable  Way 
up  the  River,    it  was  choaked  with  Ice,    driving  backwards  and 
forwards  with  the  Tide.     At  1 6  Leagues  Diftancc  from  the  En- 
trance was  a  Sound  6  or  7  Miles  wide,    and  below  it  a  very  large, 
fafe  Harbour,  capable  of  containing  a  Fleet  in  Safety  j  the  Sound 

C  he 


(   lo   ) 

he  called  Deer  Sound.  He  anchored  in  a  Cove  8  Leagues  below 
it,  within  fome  Ifles  which  he  called  Savage  Sound.  The  upper 
Part  of  the  River  was  almoft  clear  of  Ice,  and  many  true  Whales 
in  it,  but  none  below,  nor  without  the  River  ;  this  Streight  he 
called  Wager  Streight. 

To  the  North-eaft  of  this  is  another  Streight,  running  N.  N.  E. 
to  Cape  Hope,  fo  called  by  him,  upon  Pretence  of  his  Expedlation 
of  its  being  the  North  Point  of  America,  in  Lat,  66°,  40'.  To 
the  North-weft  and  North  of  this,  is  a  great  Bay,  about  20  Leagues 
deep,  and  8  or  10  wide,  quite  furrounded  with  Land,  except  to 
the  Eaftward,  where  he  gave  out,  upon  his  going  to  Land,  that 
there  was  a  Streight  frozen  over,  leading  to  the  South-eaft, 
from  4  to  7  Leagues  wide,  full  of  Iflands,  through  which  the  Tide 
flowed  ;  bat  by  others  who  were  on  Shore,  it  appears  there  was  no 
fuch  Streight  nor  Tide,  but  only  a  narrow  Sound  around  an  Ifland, 
upon  which  they  flood,  about  3  Leagues  wide,  where  was  no 
Tide  but  what  flowed  fi-om  the  Southward  up  the  Streight  from 
the  Welcome,  which  ended  in  the  Bay,  in  which  they  found  no 
Tide  nor  Current.  The  North  Point  of  this  Ifland  he  called  Cape 
Frigid;  and  to  the  SouthAvard  of  the  Sound,  South  of  the  Ifland, 
was  a  low  Beachy  Point,  but  high  Lands  to  the  Eaftward  of  it,  and 
fo  round  to  the  Northward,  From  this  Beachy  Point  to  Cape  Hope^ 
the  Streight  was  7  or  8  Leagues  wide  j  and  from  it,  along  the  Eaft 
Side  of  the  Welcome,  as  far  as  Lat.  64°,  was  a  low  contiguous 
Beachy  Coaft,  and  fo  onto  Cape  Southampton,  in  about  Lat.  62°; 
from  whence  the  Coaft  is  Eafterly  to  Gary's  Swan's  Nefi  ;  from 
thence  to  Cape  Nafdrake  N.  E.  in  Lat.  62°.  40'.  Long.  83°.  50'. 
Weft ;  thence  Northerly  to  Cape  Fembrook,  in  Lat.  63°.  30'. 
Shark,  or  Sea-Horfe  Point,  North  of  this,  in  Lat,  64°.  10'.  and 
Cape  Comfort,  in  Lat.  65°.  85'.  Weft  ;  from  wl:ience  the  Land 
falls  away  North- weft  tov/ards  his  imaginary  frozen  Streight.  On 
tlie  other  Side  of  a  Bay,  E.  N.E.  from  this  Point,  is  Lord  Wejion's 
Portland,  already  mentioned,  on  the  North-weft  of  Hudfon's 
Streight,  where  the  Land  falls  away  towards  Ciunberland's  Inlet ; 
fo  far  Fox  had  failed.  This  is  the  whole  Extent  of  the  Bay  and 
Strcights  adjoining  to  it  that  are  yet  known  or  divulged.  ' 

Having  givci  this  fhort  Defcription  of  the  Coaft  of  Hudfon's 
Bay  and  Streights  adjoining,  as  far  as  any  thing  has  been  publifhed, 
or  is  come  to  my  Knowledge  by  private  Journals  or  Information, 

the 


(  ir  ) 

the  Company  concealing,  as  much  as  they  can,  all  Things  relating 
to  the  Commerce  and  Navigation  of  'the  Bay,  as  well  as  of  the 
Climate  and  Countries  adjoining  ;  I  fliall,  before  I  make  any  gene- 
ral Obfervations  upon  the  Rivers,  Soil,  Climates,  and  Produce  of 
the  feveral  adjoining  Countries,  give  fome  fhort  Abftradts  of  Jour- 
nals relating  to  the  Seafons  and  Weather  in  different  Parts  of  the 
Bay,  and  afterwards  give  fuch  Defcriptions  of  thefe  Countries  as 
the  French  have  publiflied,  and  what  I  have  colleSed  from  fome 
who  have  been  there,  and  particularly  from  jofeph  la  France,  the 
French  Canadefe  Indian^  already  mentioned. 

The  firft  Journal  that  can  be  depended  upon  for  Obfervations 
upon  wintering  in  this  Bay,  is  that  of  Captain  James  in  Charleton 
IJIandy  in  Lat.  52°.  for  Hudfo?i's  and  Button's  Journals  are  not  to 
be  found. 

He  wintered  there  in  1632  ;  he  was  obliged  to  take  Harbour  in 
the  Beginning  of  OSlober,  the  Snow  and  Ice  began  in  that  Month, 
but  the  Sea  was  not  frozen  clofe  to  the  Illand  until  the  Middle  of 
December.  The  Cold  was  very  intenfe  until  the  Middle  of  jjpril^ 
unto  thofe  who  had  no  Place  to  refide  in,  but  a  Tent  covered 
with  their  Sails,  and  fuch  Branches  of  fmall  Spruce  as  that  Ifland 
afforded  ;  and  confequently  in  fuch  a  Situation  they  endured  great 
Hardfhips  in  fo  long  a  Winter,  furrounded  by  a  Sea  all  covered 
with  Ice,  for  a  long  Time  after  it  was  dilTolved  upon  the  Lands  ad- 
joining to  the  Bay.  The  29th  ol  April  it  rained  all  Day.  The 
third  of  May  the  Snow  was  melted  in  many  Places  of  the  Ifland. 
The  thirteenth  the  Weather  was  very  warm  in  the  Day-time,  but 
there  was  flill  Frofl  in  the  Night.  The  24th  the  Ice  was  con- 
fumed  along  the  Shore,  and  crack'd  all  over  the  Bay,  and  began 
to  float  by  the  Ship,  The  30th  the  Water  was  clear  of  Ice  be- 
twixt the  Shore  and  the  Ship,  and  fome  Vetches  appeared.  The 
1 5th  of  "June  the  Sea  was  flill  fj-ozen  over,  and  the  Bay  fiill  of 
Ice.  The  16th  was  very  hot,  with  Thunder.  The  19th  they 
faw  fome  open  Sea,  and  by  the  20th  all  the  Ice  was  drove  to  the' 
Northward.  This  Ifland  was  a  dry  Sand,  covered  with  a  white - 
Mofs,  and  fmall  Shrubs  and  Bufhes,  no  Trees  but  Spruce  and  Ju-- 
niper,  the  longefl  a  Foot  and  a  Half  over.  The  Sea  to  North- 
ward was  full  of  floating  Ice  until  the  2 2d  of  "July. 

The  next  that  wintered  in  the  Bottom  of  the  Bay  was  Captain 
Gillam^    in  the  Nonfuch  Catch,    in  1668  ;    it  was  September  before 

C  2  he 


( 


12 


he  got  to  the  Bottom  of  the  Bay,  where  he  was  cmbay'd  betwix* 
Rupert's,  Frenchman's,  and  Nodivay  Rivers.  He  got  into  Ruperf% 
River  the  29th  of  September,  and  came  to  an  Anchor  in  two  Fa- 
thoms and  a  Half  Water,  the  River  was  a  Mile  broad.  The  9th  of 
December  they  were  frozen  up  in  the  River,  and  went  upon  the 
Ice  to  a  fmall  Ifland  full  of  Poplars,  all  the  other  Trees  were 
Spruce.  In  April  \i)b(),  the  Cold  was  almoft  over,  and  the  J«^/- 
ans  came  down  to  them.  They  faw  no  Grain  there,  but  many 
Goofeberries,  Strawberries,  and  Dewotter  Berries.  The  Indians 
about  that  River  are  fimpler  than  thofe  of  Canada.  The  Nodways 
or  EJkimaux  Indians,  near  Hudfon's  Streight,  are  wild  and  barba- 
rous. In  1670  the  Ice  began  m  Rupert's  River  on  the  lothof 
OBoher,  but  they  had  warm  Weather  after  that.  The  River  was 
frozen  over  the  6th  oi  November,  they  then  (hot  white  Partridges  in 
Petre  River  to  Northward  of  them,  and  at  Frenchman's  River,  a 
great  River  to  Southward  of  them.  The  Snow  that  Year  was 
7  or  8  Feet  thick,  tho'  in  1673  it  was  but  4  Feet  thick.  The 
lirft  of  February  they  had  fuch  a  Change  of  Weather,  that  it  ra- 
ther thawed  than  froze.  About  the  20th  of  March  it  began  to 
thaw,  and  the  firft  of  April  the  Geefe  returned ;  the  River  was 
thawed  the  20th  of  April. 

The  next  is  an  Abftradt  of  a  Journal  kept  at  Albany  River^  in 
Lat.  52°.  one  of  the  Fadlories  belonging  to  the  Company,  from 
OSiober  1729,  to  the  Year  173 1,  giving  an  exad:  Account  of  the 
Weather  and  Climate,  and  how  they  ipent  their  Time  there. 

The  Froft  began  in  OSiober  1729,  about  which  time  the  Geefe, 
that  returned  from  the  Northward  to  that  River  in  Augujl,  de- 
parted from  thence  to  the  more  fouthern  Countries.  The  Creek 
near  the  Factory  was  frozen  over  the  13th  ;  by  the  21ft  there  was 
a  great  deal  of  Ice  floating  in  the  River  ;  by  the  3  1  ft  it  was  faft 
as  far  as  Charles  Creek  ;  by  the  5th  of  November  the  whole  Ri- 
ver was  frozen  over,  but  not  fo  ftrong  as  to  bear  ;  the  Weather 
was  temperate  with  fome  Snow  to  the  27th ;  all  the  Month  of 
December  was  interchangeably  three  or  four  Days  cold,  and  then 
a  temperate  Froft,  with  fome  Snow  ;  the  Month  of  "January 
much  the  fame,  cold  and  temperate  interchangeably  ;  the  Month 
of  February  was  variable,  but  moftly  moderate,  at  Intervals  warm,^ 
and  then  fharp  Weather ;  March,  to  the  8th,  was  warm  tempe- 
rate Froft  J  from  that  Time  to  the  i7tli  fine  clear  Weather,  with 
1  fome 


(  13  ) 

rotiic  Snow ;  thence  to  29th  clear  Weather  tolerably  warm  ;  on, 
the  30th  a  Storm  of  Snow,  and  then  it  began  to  thaw  in  the  mid- 
dle of  the  Day ;  it  continued  thawing  till  the  5th  of  yipril,  then 
two  Days  Frofl,  it  thawed  again  until  the  1 3th,  when  the  Geefe 
returned  from  the  Southward  ;  then  to  1 7th  raw  cold  Weather  ; 
1 8th  warm  and  Rain  ;  then  interchangeably  warm,  and  raw  Wea- 

.  ther,  until  the  28  th  ;  when  the  Frofl  was  broke  up  in  the  Coun- 
try iDy  the  Freihes  coming  down  ;  the  29th  the  Ice  gave  Way  to 
the  Head  of  the  Ifland,  and  next  Day  drove  down  to  Baily's 
Ifland,  when  all  the  Marflies  were  overflowed,  the  Bay  being  not 
yet  thawed  ;  the  Ice  continued  driving  in  the  River  until  the  5th 
of  May^  then  the  River  fell  five  Feet,  by  the  breaking  up  of  the 
Ice  at  Sea  ;  the  7th  they  had  Thunder  and  Rain,  the  Ice  ftill 
driving  in  the  River ;  the  8th  the  Indium  came  down  in  their 
Canoes  to  trade  ;  to  13  th  they  had  raw  cold  Weather  ;  i6th  they 
began  to  dig  their  Garden  ;  2 2d  the  Tide  began  to  flow  regularly  j 
the  23d  they  fowed  their  Turnips,  the  Geefe  went  then  to  the 
Northward  to  breed ;  raw  cold  Weather  until  the  29th ;  30th 
variable  Weather,  with  fome  Hail  and  Snow  ;  from  that  Time  to 
the  1 2th  of  July  fine  warm  Weather,  and  then  to  the  7th  of  Sep- 
tember, warm  or  very  hot  Weather ;  to  the  1 8th  warm  and  tem- 
perate ;  then  to  25th  variable  and  temperate,  with  fome  Rain  ; 
then  Frofl:  in  the  Night ;  fine  Weather  until  the  29th  ;  OBobe?' 
2d  and  3d,  Snow  and  fome  Frofl:  in  the  Night;  then  to  the  9th 
moderate  Weather,  with  fome  Snow  and  Frofl  in  the  Night ;  to 
the  1 2th  fine  Weather  ;  fl:op'd  Fifliing,  having  no  Frofl:  to  freeze 
the  Fifli ;  to  the  24th  fine  warm  Weather  with  fmall  Frofl: ;  the 
28  th  Ice  in  the  River  and  the  Gt&it  going  away ;  November  13  th 
the  River  full  of  heavy  Ice  ;  the  18th  it  was  frozen  over,  but 
fl:ill  moderate  Weather  ;  the  Winter  was  not  fo  fevere  as  the  for- 
mer, the  Geefe  returned  the  14th  of  j^pril  173 1,  the  Freflies 
came  down  May  5th,  the    12th  the  Ice  was  gone  to  Sea,  the 

-  13th  the  Indians  came  to  trade  in  their  Canoes ;  they  had  fine 
warm  Weather  that  Year  from  the  nth  of  May  to  the  middle  of 
September.  The  Indians  that  came  that  Year  to  trade  were  3  5 
Canoes  of  Wefl:ern  Indians,  3 1  of  upland  Indians,  i  o  of  French 
Indians,  i  oi^x-ixi^^  Indians,  22  of  Sturgeon  Indians,  5  of  Home 
Indians,  9  of  Jack  Indians,  and  5  of  Moofe  River  Indians^  1 1 8 
in  all. 

The 


(  14) 

The  Beaver  Sloop  left  the  Failory  20th  of  Auguji  1729,  to 
winter  in  Slude  River  on  the  Eafl  Main,  and  returned  to  Albany 
5th  of  July  1730.  Auguji  22d  Captain  Middkton  arrived  at  the 
Factory  in  the  Hudfon's  Bay  Frigate,  was  loaded  by  the  29th, 
and  failed  September  ift  for  Kngland. 

The  7th  the  two  Sloops  failed  for  Moofe  River,  to  fix  a  Fadiory 
there,  in  51°.  28'.  This  is  a  much  finer  and  larger  River  than 
Albany,  and  navigable  for  Canoes  above  the  Falls,  a  great  Way  to 
the  Southward,  towards  the  Inland  Lakes. 

July  2d  173 1,  the  Beaver  Sloop  returned  from  Slude  River  ; 
the  3 1  ft  Captain  Middkton  returned,  and  failed  for  Moofe  River 
the  9th  of  Augufiy  and  the  2 1  ft  failed  from  thence  for  England  ; 
the  28  th  the  Beaver  Sloop  returned  to  Slude  River  y  November 
loth  1731,  Albany  River  was  fi'ozen  over.  So  far  goes  this 
Journal. 

If  I  may  depend  upon  a  fhort  Sketch  mentioned  by  Fox  from 
Button's  Journal,  of  his  wintering  in  Nelfon  River,  in  ^j°.  in 
161 2,  it  would  appear  that  the  Winter  was.  not  fo  long  or  fevere 
at  Port  Nelfon,  as  sX  Albany  in  52°.  occafidned,  I  fuppofc,  from 
the  Strength  arid  Heighth  of  the  Tide  there,  which  rifes  near  14 
Feet,  when  at  Albany  it  does  not  rife  above  4  Feet ;  for  he  fays, 
altho'  the  River  was  not  above  a  Mile  over,  it  was  not  frozen  over 
that  Year  until  the  1 6th  of  February  ;  and  they  had  feveral  warm 
thawing  Days  before,  and  the  River  was  clear  of  Ice  the  21ft  of 
April :  But  by  this  Journal,  Albany  River  was  frozen  over  the 
Beginning  of  November,  and  the  Ice  did  not  break  up  at  the  Fa- 
ctory until  the  Beginning  of  May.  I  have  feen  no  late  Journal  of 
the  Weather  at  Tork  Fort,  on  the  Southern  Branch  of  Nelfon  Ri- 
ver, fo  can't  tell  whether  the  Climate  be  fuch  now,  as  is  here  re- 
prefented.  But  fince  the  Winter  1741  was  fo  fevere  at  Churchill 
River,  only  2°.  more  northerly  than  Nelfon  River,  of  which  the 
following  Journal  was  taken  by  Captain  Middkton,  I  fliould  fup- 
pofe  this  more  fevere  than  ufual,  or  wrote  with  a  View  to  ferve 
the  Company,  by  fetting  it  forth  in  its  worft  Colours,  or  the  Cli- 
mate at  York  Fort  is  more  fevere  than  is  here  mentioned  from  But- 
ton's Journal. 

Captain  Middkton  arrived  at  Churchill  River  the   i  oth  of  Auguji 

1741,  the  Weather  was  moderate  and  fair,  with  Calms  until  the 

24th  J  the   Home  Indians  having  been  gone  into  the  Country, 

I  they 


(  15  ) 

they  feht  to  Tor ^  Fort  for  hidians  to  kill  Geefe  for  their  Winter 
Store,  before  they  went  to  the  Southward  ;  they  funk  a  Pit  fix 
Feet  deep  in  the  new  Fort  to  put  tkeir  Beer  in,  to  preferve  it 
from  the  Winter's  Froft,  which  they  covered  eight  Feet  high  a- 
bove  Ground  with  Earth  and  Horfe  Dung  j  the  26th  w^as  flormy 
with  Rain. 

The  firft  Snow  they  had  was  on  the  ift  of  September,  the  Geefe 
then  going  to  the  Southward  ;  cold  blowing  Weather  with  Snow 
Showers  until  the  8th,  the  Ground  flill  marfliy  and  Boggy ;  the 
fame  Weather  until  the  13th  j  moderate  Weather,  v/ith  fome 
Rain  and  Thunder  until  the  2  2d  ;  23d  freezing,  with  fmall 
Snow ;  27th  the  Thermometer  as  low  as  in  London  in  the  great 
Froft,  they  killed  1 00  white  Partridges  before  the  cold  Weather 
came  on  ;  they  then  went  to  the  Woods ;  30th  the  River  full  of 
floating  Ice  driving  out  with  the  Ebb  ;  OSlober  ift  the  Ice  faft  along 
the  Shore  for  two  Miles  5  7th  the  River  almofl  full  of  floating  Ice  j 
but  not  much  Snow  on  the  Ground  ;  1 2th  moil  of  the  Ice  that 
lined  the  Shore  for  two  Miles  above  them,  drove  to  Sea,  and  was 
out  of  Sight  next  Day ;  the  Ice  farther  up  fafl  froze  ■,  they  crofs'd 
the  River  upon  the  Ice  eight  Miles  above  the  Fort  the  9th  ;  1 6th 
the  Ice  not  yet  fafl  at  the  Mouth  of  the  River,  tho'  the  Sea  was 
full  of  Ice  when  the  Wind  blew  upon  the  Shore  j  17th  all  the  Ice 
without  drove  out  of  Sight;  18th  cold  Weathef  now  with  all 
Winds  ;  2ifl  Water  and  Ink  freeze  by  the  Bedfide  ;  22 d  the  Ri- 
Ver  flill  open  in  feveral  Places.  The  Company's  Servants  take 
white  Foxes,  which  are  plenty  here ;  fi-om  1 8th  to  27th  moderate 
calm  Weather,  but  hard  Frofl,  the  Snow  in  many  Places  1  o  or 
1 2  Feet  deep  ;  no  flirring  without  Snow?  Shoes,  5  Feet  long,  and 
18  Inches  broad  ;  high  Winds  and  much  Snow  till  the  36th  ; 
3 1  ft  cold  with  thicli  Fog  ;  fome  of -the  Company's  Men  came 
home  from  Wooding  and  Hunting,  having  their  Necks-  and  Faces 
ifi-ozen.  Novernber  2d  the  Ice  drives  in  and  out  each  Tide,  but  no 
Water  to  be  feen  at  Sea,  nor  above  a  Mile  up  the  River  ;  the  9th 
a  Bottle  of  Spirits  full  Proof,  fet  out  at  Night  was  ftozen  ;  they 
flill  get  white  Foxes  and  Partridges  near  the  Fort,  tho'  not  fo  plen- 
ty as  in  former  Years;  nth  hard  Gales  and  flormy,  no  going* 
out  without  being  froze;  12  th  the  River  now  fafi  froze  at  the 
Entrance  ;  1 5th  fet  up  Beacons  crofs  the  River  to  guide  them, 
the  Ice  4  or  5  Feet  thick  ;  not  yet  faft  above  a  Mile  from  Shore  ; 

the 


(  i6  ) 


the  Weather  fometlmes  moderate,  fometimes  fevere,  until  the  loth 
oi  December ',  they  got  to  that  Time  1500  Partridges  j    14th  fo 
cold  an  Indian  feventy  Years  old  was  ftarved  to  Death  under  the 
Walls  of  the  Fort  in  his  Tent;  22d  moft  of  the  Fadory's  Men, 
who  had  been  Hunting  and  Fifhing,  returned  for  a  Fortnight  to 
keep  Chrijlmas ;  30th  moderate  warm  Weather,  fix  Home  I?idi^ 
am  came  from  the  Northward  wkh  Buffalo's  Flefh  and  Goods  for 
Trade  ;  they  were  five  Months  from  the   Faftory,    and  twenty 
Days  in  their  Journey  home  ;  they  fay  their  Country  is  barren  and 
without  Wood ;  very  cold  from  the  i  fl  to  9th  of  January  ;  clofe 
hazy  Weather,  very  cold   from  that  Time  to   1 8th  ;  the  Captain 
walked  five  Miles  to  the  old  Fadlory  and  returned  in  the  Evening; 
cold  Frofl  to  24th  ;  got  to  that  Time  300  more  Partridges  ;  29th 
feveral  of  the  Factory's  Men  came  from  the  Woods  for  a  Fort- 
night's Provifions  j  mofl  of  them  lie  in  the  Woods  all  the  Winter,, 
(hooting,  fifhing,  and  cutting  fire  Wood  ;  got  fifteen  Jacks  from, 
one  of  them,  who  fifhed  all  the  Winter  in  Holes  in  the  Ice  ;  31ft 
returned  again  to  the  Woods ;  moderate  Weather,  clear  and  cold 
until  8th  of  February  ;  it  freezes  flill  hard  in  the  Night ;  the  Wea- 
ther very  cold,  but  generally  clear  until  the    1 5th  ;  got  to  that 
Time  229  more  Partridges ;  none  who  lie  out   in   the  Woods 
and  exercife,    are  troubled  with  any  Diflempcr  ;    moderate,  fair, 
temperate  Weather,  with  Frofl,  until  the  2d  of  Af(7rc/6;  very  cold 
from  that  Time  to  the  1 2th.     Several  Indians  came  down  almoft 
ftarved  for  want  of  Food,    and  feveral  Wolves.     Thirteenth  very 
cold,    got  50  Partridges,    and  22  Fifh  from  his  Servant,   who  had 
fifhed  all  the  Winter  25  Miles  up  the  River  ;   14th  and  15th,  very 
cold,  hard  Gales,  and  drifting  Snow  ;  i6th  and  17th,  moderate  and 
clear ;  to  2  ift  frefh  Gales  with  Froft,  but  fair  ;  2 2d  moderate,  began 
to  repair  the  Ships ;  to  27th  moderately  warm,  with  fbme  Snow  in 
the  Nights,  the  Weather  now  grown  milder  ;  28  and  29th  a  great 
Snow  for  30  Hours,    the  Fort  full  within  and  without,    as  high  as 
the  Ramparts ;    30th  the  Storm  abated,  but  very  cold ;  the  Ice  3 
or  4  Inches  thick  under  the  Deck.     Cold  until  the  2d  of  April, 
then  calm  and  warm,    with  a  clear  Sky,    the  Sun  now  begins  to 
thaw  fomc  Places.     Fourth  drift  Snow,    but  not  fo  cold  as  ufual ; 
5th  to  7th  cold  freezing  Weather.     The  Water  rofe  9  or  i  o  Feet, 
the  Ice  at  the  Ship  10  Feet  thick,    and  Snow  13  Feet  above  it  j 
9th  and   loth  moderate  warm  Weather  to  what  they  had,   fome 

HaU, 


(  17  )        • 

Hail,    and  large  Flakes  of  Snow,    a  Sign  the  Winter  is  fpent,  all 
the  Snow  for  6  Months  being  as  fine  as  Duft  ;   nth  moderate  and 
hazy,    got  300  Partridges;    12th  to  i8th  Froft,    with  fome  Snow 
and  Sleet ;  Ink  freezes  by  the  Fire  ;   1 9th  light  Airs,  and  warm  iii 
the  Day,  but  cold  in  the  Night;  20th  warm,  clear  Weather,  with 
frefh  Gales,  the  Ice  without  the  Harbour,  not  faft,  is  drove  to  Sea ; 
but  when  it  drives  to  the  Shore,  no  End  to  be  feen  of  it ;  2  ift  and 
2 2d  moderate,    pleafant,    warm  Weather,   had  a  Shower  of  Rain, 
none  before  for  7  Months ;  23d  frefli  Gales,  with  Froft,  and  fome 
Snow  ;    the  Tide  rofe  10  Feet  3  Inches  ;   Froft  and  fome  Snow 
until  the  28th,  then  moderate  and  fair,  with  fome  Snow  Showers; 
faw  a  Goofe  that  Day,    which  was  killed  4  Miles  from  the  Ship  ; 
Froft,  Sleet  and  Rain,  to  the  ifl  oi May ;   2d  Thunder,  Rain  and 
Hail ;  3d  and  4th  cold  and  Froft  ;   5th  Fog  and  Rain  ;  6th  to  loth 
Froft  and  Snow,    then  moderate,    fair  Weather;     12th  and  13  th 
Hail,  with  Frofl  ;   14th  to  i8th  moderate  and  cloudy,  with  fome 
Rain,  fre{h  Gales,  with  fome  Snow,  Hail  and  Rain,  until  the  23d; 
cloudy  and  hazy,    with  fome  Rain,    until  the  26th  ;    the  River 
opens  a  little  above,    but  is  faft  below ;     31ft  moderate  and  clear. 
June  the  ift  the  Ice  gave  way  in  the  Channel,    and  drove  to  Sea, 
but  ftill  faft  on  the  Flats,  near  a  Mile  from  the  Shore  ;    2d  mode- 
rate,   fair  Weather,    Ice  driving  in  and  out  with  the  Tide  ;    3d 
Thunder  and  large  Hail,    very  warm  after  the  Shower  ;    4th  mo- 
derate and  cloudy,  with  Thunder  and  Rain  ;  fhot  a  white  Whale, 
and  got  a  Barrel  of  Oil  from  it ;  5th  cloudy,  moft  of  the  Ice  broke 
off  from  the  Flats,  and  drove  to  Sea  ;   6th  and  7th  fair  and  cloudy  ; 
8th  fqually,    with  Showers  of  Rain  ;    the  Flats  almoft  clear,  Ice 
flill  driving  in  the  River;  oth  and  loth  moderate,  fair  Weather, 
got  the  Ship  out  of  her  Dock,  and  moored  her  ;    1 1  th  fair  Wea- 
ther,   with  thick  Fog  ;    feveral  Northern  Indians  came  to  trade  ; 
13th  got  the  Ship  into  the  Stream,   all  the  Ice  gone  out  of  the  Ri- 
ver ;    14th  and   15th    moderate,    hazy  Weather;    i6th  fqually. 
Thunder  and  Rain  ;    fent  a  Sloop  to  the  Goofe  Tent,    7  Leagues 
from  the  River,  for  Gtt(t;    17th  Cloudy,    30  Canoes  of  upland 
Indians  came  down  to  trade  ;    1 8th  to  20th  cloudy ;   the  Sloop  re- 
turned with  16  Cafks  of  falted  Geefe  ;  employed  in  watering  and 
digging  up  their  Beer,  which  was  in  one  Cake  of  Ice  ;   from  that 
time  to  the  28th  warm  and  fair,   got  every  thing  ready  for  failing. 

D  Since 


(  i8  ) 


Since  the  Hudfon's  Bay  Company  conceal  as  much  as  poffihle 
the  Nature  of  the  Soil  and  Climates  of  the  feveral  Countries  within 
their  Grant,  as  vvell  as  the  Benefit  to  be  made  by  their  Trade,  up- 
on fuch  noble  Rivers  and  Lakes  as  communicate  with  the  Bay, 
.from  the  Merchants  in  Britain,  left  they  fliould  interfere  with 
them  in  their  Trade  ;  in  order  to  give  a  better  Idea  of  thefe  Coun- 
tries, before  I  make  any  Obfervations  upon  thefe  Journals,  I  fhall 
give  a  brief  Defcription  of  thefe  Rivers  and  Lakes  on  the  Weft 
Side  of  the  Bay  from  the  French  Accounts  of  Monlieur  "Jereniie 
and  de  la  Poterit\  and  then  give  the  Account  I  got  from 
Jojfeph  la  Fra?jce,  who  travelled  through  all  thefe  Coun- 
tries within  thefe  t;,  or  4  Years,  and  from  their  Accounts,  and 
thefe  Journals,  make  tlie  beft  Obfervations  I  can  upon  the  Soil, 
Climates,  and  extenfive  Trade  of  thefe  great  inland  Countries  and 
Lakes  from  Canada  to  the  Weftern  Ocean  oi  America,  and  what 
great  Improvements  may  be  made  by  laying  open  that  Trade, 
and  fettling  in  proper  Places,  on  the  Rivers  which  enter  into  the 
Bay. 

The  French  were  in  Pofleflion  of  Fort  Bourbon,  which  we  call 
•now  Tork  Forty  upon  St.  Therefa,  the  Eaftern  Branch  of  Nelfcn 
River,  from  the  Year  1697  to  17 14.  Monfieur  Jeremie,  who  was 
Lieutenant  there  from  1697  ^^  ^yo^j  and  afterwards  Governor, 
until  he  gave  it  up  in  171 4  to  us,  gives  a  very  particular  Account 
of  that  River  and  the  adjoining  Countries,  great  Part  of  which  he 
affirms  to  be  of  his  own  Knowledge,  having  travelled  a  great  Way 
South-weft  into  the  Country  among  the  Rivers  and  Lakes. 

The  Danijlo  or  Churchill  River,  upon  which  the  Company  have 
lately  built  a  ftrong  Stone  Fort,  he  fays,  is  fituated  in  59°.  North 
Latitude,  and  is  about  500  Paces  wide  at  the  Entrance,  for  about 
ii  Quarter  of  a  League,  and  is  very  deep  ;  but  within  it  is  much 
broader,  and  is  navigable  into  the  Country  1 50  Leagues  ;  there  is 
but  httle  "Wood  upon  this  River,  near  the  Bay,  except  in  the 
Iflands,  At  i  50  Leagues  Diftance  is  a  Chain  of  high  Mountains, 
with  great  Cataradls  and  Falls  of  Water  ;  but  beyond  thefe  it  is 
again  navigable,  and  has  a  Communication  with  a  River  called  the 
River  of  Stags. 

Fifteen  Leagues  Northward  of  this  River,  is  the  River  of  Loup 

Marine,    or  River  of  Seals ;    betwixt  thefe   Rivers  is  a  kind  of 

Ox,  called  the  Mujk  Ox,   which  fmells  at  fome  Time  in  the  Year 

J  fa 


(  19  ) 

lb  ftrong  of  Muflc,  that  it  cannot  be  eat.  Tliey  have  very  fine 
Wool,  which  is  longer  than  that  of  the  Barbary  Sheep  ;  they  are 
fmailer  than  FrOTc/)  Oxen,  with  very 'crooked  Horns,  which  turn 
round  like  Rams  Horns,  and  are  fo  large,  that  they  weigh  fome- 
times  60  Pounds ;  they  have  fhort  Legs,  and  their  Wool  trails  up- 
on the  Ground ;  they  are  not  numerous. 

This  River  comes  from  a  Country  he  calls  Platfcotez  de  Chtens, 
who  make  War  againfl  the  Savanna  Ijidians,  who  traded  with  the' 
French.  In  that  Country  they  have  a  large  Copper  Mine,  fo  fine» 
that  without  fmelting  it,  they  make  Copper  of  it  by  beating  it  be- 
twixt two  Stones.  He  faw  a  great  deal  of  it,  which  their  Indians 
got  when  they  went  to  War  againfl  that  Nation. 

This  Nation  has  a  fweet,  humane  Afpedl,  but  their  Country  is 
not  good.  They  have  no  Beaver,  but  live  by  Filhing,  and  a  kind 
of  Deer  they  call  Cariboux,  (Rain-Deer.)  The  Hares  grow  white  in 
Winter,  and  recover  their  Colour  in  Spring  ;  they  have  very  large 
Ears,  and  are  always  black.  Their  Skins  in  Winter  are  very  pretty, 
of  fine  long  Hair,  which  does  not  fall,  fo  that  they  make  very  fine 
Muffs. 

He  fays  he  can  fay  nothing  pofitive  in  going  farther  Northward, 
but  only  that  their  Savages  reported,  that  in  the  Bottom  of  the 
Northern  Bay,  there  is  a  Streight  where  they  can  eafily  difcover 
Land  on  the  other  Side  ;  they  had  never  gone  to  the  End  of  that 
Streight ;  they  fay  there  is  Ice  there  all  the  Year,  which  is  drove 
by  the  Wind  fometimes  one  Way,  fometimes  another.  According 
to  all  Appearance,  this  Arm  of  the  Sea  has  a  Communication  with 
the  Weflern  Ocean,  and  what  makes  it  more  probable,  is,  that 
when  the  Wind  comes  from  the  Northern  Quarter,  the  Sea  is  dif- 
charged  by  that  Streight  in  fuch  Abundance  into  Hudfo?i's  Bay,  fo 
as  to  raife  the  Water  10  Feet  above  the  ordinary  Tides  ;  infomuch 
as  when  they  find  the  Waters  rife,  Ships  take  Shelter  againfl  thefe 
Northerly  Winds. 

The  Savages  fay,  that  after  travelling  fome  Months  to  the  W.  S. 
W.  they  came  to  the  Sea,  upon  which  they  faw  great  Vefiels  with 
Men  who  had  Beards  and  Caps,  who  gather  Gold  on  the  Shore, 
that  is  at  the  Mouths  of  Rivers. 

In  pafiing  to  the  Southward  from  the  DaniJJ}  River,  at  60 
Leagues  Diflance,  is  the  River  of  Bourbon,  or  Nelfon,  in  Lat.  ^y'\ 
there  is  nothing  remarkable  in  the  Country  betwixt  thefe  two  Ri- 

D  2  ver5. 


(20    ) 


vers,  but  a  great  Number  of  the  Deer  called  Cariboux,  which  be- 
ing drove  from  the  Woods  by  a  great  Number  of  Mufketoes  or 
Midges,  come  to  the  Shore  to  refrefh  themfelves;  they  are  in 
Hoards  of  loooo  together,  and  fpread  through  a  Country  40  or  50 
Leagues  in  Extent ;  they  might  have  as  many  of  their  Skins  as 
they  pleafed,  and  fome  have  been  drefled,  which  have  been  very 
fine. 

They  have  there  alfo  all  Sorts  of  Wild-fowl,  as  Swans,  Buftards, 
Geefe,  Cranes,  Ducks,  and  thofe  of  the  fmaller  Kind,  in  fuch 
great  Numbers,  that  when  they  rife  they  darken  the  Sky,  and  make 
fo  much  Noife,  that  they  can  fcarce  hear  each  other  fpeak.  He 
fays  that  may  appear  fabulous,  but  affirms  he  fays  nothing  but 
what  he  faw  himfelf ;  for  he  would  not  truffc  to  the  Report  of 
others,  but  went  himfelf  to  almoft  every  Place  he  mentions. 

The  River  St.  There/a,  upon  which  they  built  Fort  Bourbon,  is 
a  Branch  of  Nelfon  River,  by  which  the  Natives  come  down  to 
trade.  This  River  is  of  fo  great  Extent,  that  it  pafTes  thro'  many 
great  Lakes  ;  the  firft  is  150  Leagues  from  the  Entrance  of  the 
River,  and  is  100  Leagues  in  Circuit:  The  Natives  call  it  the 
Lake  of  Forts  (or  rather  Forejis).  On  the  North  Side  a  River  dif- 
charges  itfelf,  called  the  Rapid  River  ;  this  takes  its  Rife  from  a 
Lake  300  Leagues  from  the  firft,  which  they  call  Michitiipi,  or 
the  great  Water,  becaufe  in  EfFedl  it  is  the  greateft  and  deepefl 
Lake,  being  600  Leagues  in  Circumference,  and  receives  into  it 
many  Rivers,fome  of  which  have  a  Communication  with  the  DaniJJj 
River,  and  others  with  the  Plafcotez  de  Chiens.  About  this  Lake, 
and  along  thefe  Rivers,  are  great  Numbers  of  Indians,  who  call 
themfelves  the  Nation  of  the  great  Water,  or  of  AJjinibouels  ;  it  is 
to  be  remarked  that  thefe  are  as  humane  and  affable,  as  the  Fjki- 
maux  are  fierce  and  barbarous,  as  are  alfo  all  the  other  Nations  a- 
long  Hudfon's  Bay.  At  the  Extremity  of  the  Lake  of  Forefls,  the 
River  Bourbon  continues  its  Courfe,  and  comes  firom  another 
Lake,  called,  the  JunBion  of  the  two  Seas,  becaufe  the  Land  al- 
moft meets  in  the  middle  of  the  Lake.  The  Eaft  Side  of  this 
Lake  is  a  Country  full  of  thick  Forefls,  in  which  are  great  Num- 
bers of  Beaver  and  Elks.  Here  begins  the  Country  of  the  Chri- 
Jiinaux.  This  is  in  a  much  more  temperate  Climate  j  the  Weft 
Side  is  fiiU  of  fine  Meadows,  filled  with  wild  Oxen ;  the  AJjini- 
bouels live  here.     The  Lake  is  400  Leagues  in  Circumference,  and 

I  2QQ 


( il ) 

200  from  the  other  Lake.  A  hundred  Leagues  further  W.  S.  W. 
along  this  River,  is  another  Lake  they  call  Ounipigouchih,  or  the 
Little  Sea.  It  is  almoft  the  fame  Country  and  Climate  with  the 
other,  inhabited  by  the  fame  Indians,  the  Afjiniboueh^  the  Chri- 
Jlinaux,  and  Saiiteurs,  it  is  300  Leagues  in  Circumference  ;  at  the 
further  End  is  a  River  which  comes  from  Tacamioicen,  which  is 
not  fo  great  as  the  other  ;  it  is  into  this  Lake  that  the  River  of  Stags 
is  difcharged,  which  is  of  fuch  a  Length  that  the  Natives  have  not 
yet  difcovered  its  Source. 

From  this  River  they  can  go  to  another  which  runs  Weflward, 
but  all  the  reft  run  either  into  the  Bay,  or  River  of  Canada.  He  en- 
deavoured to  fend  the  Natives  to  difcover  if  it  went  to  the  Weftern 
Sea  ;  but  their  Enemies  lying  in  their  Way  prevented  them  ;  how- 
ever they  brought  fome  of  them  Prifoners,  who  faid  they  alfo 
were  at  War  with  another  Nation  farther  Weft  ;  thefe  faid  they 
had  Neighbours  with  Beards,  who  liv'd  in  Stone  Houfes  and 
Forts  ;  that  they  were  not  cloathed  like  them  ;  that  they  had 
white  Kettles,  and  fliewing  them  a  Silver  Cup,  they  faid  it  was 
of  that  Mettal ;  they  faid  they  tilled  their  Land  with  Tools  of  that 
Mettal  J  according  to  their  Defcription,  it  was  Maize  they  culti- 
vated. 

The  Intendant  of  Canada  wanted  to  difcover  thefe  Countries 
from  thence  ;  but  it  is  much  eaiier  from  Fort  Bourbon,  as  it  is 
fhorter,  and  through  a  fine  Country,  full  of  Beaftsand  wild  Fowl, 
befides  Fruit  which  grow  wild,  as  Plumbs,  Apples  and  Grapes^ 
and  a  great  Variety  of  fmaller  Fruit. 

On  the  South- weft  Side  of  this  Lake  Tacamiouen,  is  a  River 
which  comes  from  another,  CAWtdi  the  Lake  of  Dogs,  which  is  not 
far  from  the  fuperior  Lake. 

The  River  St.  TJoerefa  is  but  half  a  League  wide  where  the 
Fort  is  built.  Two  Leagues  higher  is  Fort  Philipeattx,  built  for 
a  Retreat ;  there  the  River  begins  to  be  interfperfed  with  Iflands. 
Twenty  Leagues  above  the  Fort  the  River  divides  into  two  Branches, 
one  which  comes  from  the  North-v/eft  Side,  communicates  with 
Nelfon  or  Bourbon  River,  by  which  the  Natives  come  down  to  trade, 
by  the  Means  of  a  Land  Carriage  from  the  Lake  of  For  efts  to  this 
River.  Twenty  Leagues  above  the  firft  Fork  there  is  another, 
that  comes  from  the  South-eaft,  which  the  Natives  call  Guichema- 
tQuarig^  or  the  great  Fork.     This  has  a  Commui:jication  v/ith  the 

River 


( al ) 

River  Sf.  Huiles  -,  the  Weftern  Branch,  tho'  ftill  called  St.  Therefa^ 
is  but  of  fmall  Extent,  coming  from  its  Source  by  feveral  fmall 
Brooks,  in  each  of  which  are  great  Numbers  of  Lynx,  Beavers, 
Martins,  and  others  of  fmaller  Furs,  Betwixt  the  two  Forts  is  a 
fmall  River  called  Egaree,  from  whence  they  get  their  Wood  for 
firing,  it  being  fcarce  at  the  Fort.  Near  the  Mouth  of  the  River 
is  another  fmall  one  they  call  GargouJJe  ;  there  comes  in  at  high 
Water  a  great  Number  of  Porpoifes ;  the  River  being  narrow  here. 
There  might  be  a  good  Fifhing,  where  they  might  make  above  600 
Barrels  of  Oil  annually. 

From  this  River  to  St.  Huiles,  or  New  Severn,  is  1 00  Leagues 
S.  E.  It  is  fituated  in  Lat.  56".  The  Entrance  is  but  fliallow,  on- 
ly capable  of  Veflels  of  60  Tons.  Here  might  be  made  good 
Houfes,  for  Wood  is  very  plenty  here,  and  there  are  great  Num- 
bers of  Beavers  higher  up  the  River. 

As  to  the  Climate  at  Fort  Bourbon,  it  being  in  Lat.  t^j''.  it  is  ve- 
ry cold  in  Winter,  which  begins  about  Michaelmas,  and  ends  in 
May.  The  Sun  fets  about  3,  and  rifes  about  9  in  the  Winter. 
When  the  Days  grow  a  little  longer,  and  the  Cold  is  more  tempe- 
rate, the  Sportfmen  kill  as  many  Partridges  and  Hares  as  they 
pleafe.  One  Year,  when  they  had  eighty  Men  in  Garifon,  they 
had  the  Curiofity  to  reckon  the  Number,  which  amounted  to 
90,000  Partridges,  and  25,000  Hares. 

At  the  End  of  April,  the  Geefe,  Buftards,  and  Ducks,  return  in 
fuch  Numbers,  that  they  kill  as  many  as  they  pleafe ;  they  alfo 
take  great  Numbers  of  Cariboux  or  Rain-Deer.  In  March  and 
April  they  come  from  the  North  to  the  South,  and  extend  then 
along  the  River  60  Leagues  j  they  go  again  Northward  in  ^iily  and 
Auguft  ;  the  Roads  they  make  in  the  Snow  are  as  well  padded, 
and  crofs  each  other  as  often  as  the  Streets  in  Faris  ;  the  Natives 
make  Hedges  with  Branches  of  Trees,  and  leave  Openings  in 
which  they  fix  Snares,  and  thus  take  Numbers  of  them.  When 
they  fwim  the  Rivers  in  returning  Northwards,  the  Natives  kill 
them  in  Canoes  with  Lances,  as  many  as  they  pleafe.  In  Summer 
they  have  the  Pleafure  of  Fifliing,  and  with  Nets  take  Pike,  Trout 
and  Carp,  and  a  white  Fifh  fomething  like  a  Herring,  by  much 
the  beft  Fifli  in  the  World  ;  they  preferve  thofe  for  their  Winter 
Provifion,  by  putting  them  in  Snow,  or  freezing  them,  as  alfo  the 
Flelh  they  would  preferve  :    They  keep  thus  alfo  Geefe,    Ducks, 

and 


(  ^3  ) 

and  Buftards,  which  they  roaft  with  the  Hares  and  Partridges  they 
kill  in  Winter  ;  Co  that  tho'  it  be  a  cold  Climate,  there  is  good 
Living  there,  by  getting  Bread  and  Wine  from  Europe.  Tho'  the 
Summer  be  (hort,  they  had  a  Garden  and  good  Coleworts,  with 
Sallads  and  fmall  Herbs,  which  they  had  in  their  Soups  in  Winter. 
He  had  120,000  Livres  Profit  out  of  8000  fent  him  in  Goods  in 
one  Seafon  ;  they  have  alfo  Bears,  Elks,  and  all  Sorts  of  Beafts 
whofe  Skins  and  Furs  are  valued  in  France  ;  and  according  to  him 
it  is  one  of  the  mod  profitable  Pofts  in  North  America,  confidering 
the  Expence.  This  is  an  Extrad;  of  fo  much  as  is  material  out  of 
Monfieur  Jeretnie's  Letter,  defcribing  the  Climate  and  Countries 
adjoining  to  Fort  Bourbon.  To  this  I  will  give  an  Abftrad:  of 
what  de  la  Poterie  ■  mentions  in  relation  to  that  River,  and  the 
Nations  and  Countries  adjoining  to  it. 

He  fays  the  Ouinebigonbelinis  inhabit  on  the  Sea-coaft.  The 
Poaourmagou,  or  River  Bourbon  is  a  League  wide,  inhabited  by 
the  Mifkogonhirinis,  or  Savatina  Indians,  who  make  War  with  the 
Hakouchirmiou.  Five  Leagues  within  it,  are  two  Iflands  of  a 
League  in  Circuit  each,  where  there  are  large  Trees ;  this  River  is 
but  five  Leagues  from  St.  Therefa  by  Land,  and  feven  by  Water  ; 
here  is  a  flat  Coaft  for  100  Leagues  j  a  League  without  the  Mouth 
of  the  River  is  a  Pool  betwixt  two  Banks,  in  which  is  1 8  Foot  at 
low  Water,  and  five  Fathoms  at  high  Water,  200  Fathom  over, 
and  600  in  Length,  where  Ships  may  ly  at  Anchor.  A  League 
within  the  River  on  the  Star  board  Side  is  Fort  Nelfon.  This  Ri- 
ver takes  its  Source  from  a  great  Lake  called  Michinipi,  where  is 
the  true  Nation  of  the  Cris,  or  Chrijiinaux  ;  from  whence  there  is 
a  Communication  with  the  AJjinibouels,  tho'  far  from  each  other ; 
the  River  Mathifipi,  called  Leogane,  empties  itfelf  on  the  Larboard 
Side  near  its  Mouth  ;  and  about  a  League  higher  over  againft  the 
Fort  is  Matchifipi,  called  Gargouffe ;  by  thefe  two  Rivers  the  Sa- 
vages come  to  the  Fort  of  Neiv  Savanne,  by  the  great  Pv.iver  they 
call  Kouachoue.  Twelve  Leagues  above  the  Fort  is  the  River  Oii- 
juragntchouftbi ,  and  two  Leagues  higher  is  the  River  Apithfibi,  called 
the  River  Pierre,  or  Fleches,  which  is  the  Way  by  which  the  Sa- 
vages come  to  a  great  Lake  called  Namoufaki^  or  the  River  of 
Sturgeons,  where  the  Nakonkirhirinous  refide. 

Twenty 


(  M ) 

Twenty  Leagues  above  Apithfibi  is  Kechematoiiamis,  called  the 
Great  Fork,  by  which  they  go  to  Kichichouane  or  Albany  River ^ 
in  the  Bottom  of  the  Bay. 

The  Country  about  Fort  Nelfon  is  very  low,  it  is  filled  with 
Woods  of  fmall  Trees,  and  is  very  marlhy.  The  Natives  live  by 
Hunting  and  Fifliing  •,  Seals  abound  there,  which  are  larger  than 
thofe  of  Canada ;  they  fell  the  Oil  extraded  from  them  at  the 
Fort,  which  is  better  and  clearer  than  Nut  Oil.  They  have  Bu- 
llards  and  wild  Gtdis.  in  great  Numbers,  and  fell  the  Feathers  at 
the  Fort.  The  white  Partridges  are  as  large  as  Capons.  They  have 
white  Foxes  and  Martin  Zebelins  fairer  than  thofe  in  Mufcovy. 

The  Monfonis  or  Nation  of  the  Marfhes  live  higher  up,  than 
the  Oumebegonbelinis,  in  a  Country  full  of  Marfhes.  As  they  have 
a  great  many  fmall  Rivers  and  Brooks,  which  fall  into  great  Ri- 
vers, thefe  People  kill  a  great  many  Beavers ;  they  find  fome  ve- 
ry black,  a  Quality  rare  enough  ;  for  they  are  commonly  of  a  red- 
difli  Colour,  Thefe  would  have  prevented  the  Nations  at  a  greater 
Diftance  from  trading  with  the  Englip  ;  but  they  obliged  them 
to  give  them  a  Paflage  if  they  would  enjoy  any  Commerce  them- 
fclves. 

The  Savanna  Indians  are  more  to  the  Southward  j  they  have 
Savannas,  Meadows,  and  fine  Hills  in  their  Country.  There  the 
Elks,  Roe-Bucks,  Rain-Deer,  and  Squinaton,  have  Place  to  range 
in.  The  Squinaton  refembles  a  Roe-Buck  ;  it  is  higher,  has  finer 
Legs,  and  the  Head  longer  and  fharper. 

The  Cris,  or  Chriftinaux,  that  is  Savages  who  dwell  upon  the 
Lakes,  are  i6o  Leagues  higher  ;  they  ufe  the  Calumet  of  Peace  ; 
they  are  a  numerous  Nation,  and  extend  over  a  vaft  Country,  as 
far  as  the  upper  Lake,  and  trade  fometimes  at  Mijfilimakijiac. 
They  are  lively,  always  in  Adlion,  dancing  and  finging  j  they  are 
at  the  fame  time  Warriors,  and  very  like  to  the  Manners  of  the 
Gafcoyns. 

The  Migichihilinious,  that  is  Eagle  efd  Indians,  are  at  200 
Leagues  Diflance  ;  the  AJfiniboueU  inhabit  the  Wefl  and  the  North  ; 
they  are  reputed  to  be  the  fame  Nation,  becaufe  of  the  great  Afii- 
nity  of  their  Language'.  The  Name  fignifies  Men  of  the  Rock. 
They  ufe  the  Calumet,  and  live  at  250  Leagues  Diflance.  They 
paint  their  Bodies,  are  grave,  and  have  much  Phlegm,  like  the 
Flemings. 

The 


(  ^5  ) 

The  Ofjuifakamals  live  upon  Fi£li ;  they  kill  but  few  Beavers, 
but  their  Coat  Beaver  is  the  befl  from  their  greafy  Way  of  living, 
and  cleaning  their  Hands  upon  them. 

The  Michi?iipicpoets,  or  Men  of  Stone  of  the  great  Lake,  are 
at  300  Leagues  Diftance  ;  they  live  North  and  South. 

The  Netouatjimipoets,  or  Men  of  the  Point,  are  diftant  400 
Leagues. 

The  Attimofpiquay  which  fignifies  the  Coafl  of  Dogs  ;  they 
have  yet  had  no  Commerce  with  the  French,  becaufe  they  dare 
not  pafs  the  h^rnis  o^  the  Mafiigo7iehiri?iis,  with  whom  they  have 
War  ;  here  is  the  Mufk  Ox,  whofe  Hair  is  as  fine  as  the  Beavers, 
which  is  fit  for  Hats  ;  their  Horns  turn  round  like  Rams  Horns  ; 
they  learn  from  thefe  People,  that  there  is  a  Strait,  at  the  End  of 
which  is  an  Icy  Sea,  which  has  a  Communication  with  the  South 
Seas. 

Thefe  Nations,  who  come  from  a  great  Diftance,  aflemble  in 
May  2iX.  a  great  Lake,  fometimes  12  or  1500  together,  to  begin 
their  Voyage.  The  Chiefs  reprefent  their  Wants,  and  engage  the 
young  Men  to  prepare  and  get  Beavers,  and  each  Family  makes  a 
Feaft,  and  fix  upon  a  certain  Number  to  go  together,  and  they  re- 
new Alliances  with  each  other  ;  then  Joy,  Pleafure,  and  good 
Cheer  reigns,  in  which  Time  they  make  their  Canoes,  which  are 
of  Birch  Bark  ;  the  Trees  are  much  larger  than  thofe  in  France ; 
they  make  the  Floor-timbers  of  little  Pieces  of  w^hite  Wood,  four 
Inches  thick  ;  they  bind  them  at  the  Top  to  Pieces  an  Inch  thick, 
which  keeps  the  Bark  open  above,  and  few  up  the  two  Ends  ; 
thefe  are  fo  fwift  as  to  go  30  Leagues  in  a  Day  with  the  Stream  ; 
they  carry  them  eafily  on  their  Backs,  and  are  very  light  in  the  Wa- 
ter ;  they  have  no  Seats,  and  they  muft  paddle  either  fitting  in  the 
Bottom,  or  upon  their  Knees  ;  when  they  are  ready  for  their  Voy- 
age they  choofe  feveral  Chiefs  ;  the  Number  that  trade  annually 
are  not  certain,  according  as  they  happen  to  have  War  or  not, 
which  affedls  their  Hunting  ;  but  there  comes  down  generally  to 
Port  Nelfo?i  1000  Men,  fome  Women,  and  about  600  Canoes. 

There  are  eight  Kinds   of  Beavers    received   at   the  Farmer's 
Office. 

The  firil  is  the  fat  Winter  Beaver,  kill'd    in  Winter,  which  is 
worth  ^  s.  6  d.  per  Pound. 

E  The 


(    26    ) 

The  fecond  Is  the  fat  Summer  Beaver  killed  in  Summer,  and  is 
worth  2  s.  g  d. 

The  third  the  dry  Winter  Beaver,  and  fourth  the  Bordeau,  is 
much  the  fame,  and  are  worth  3  j.  6  ^, 

The  fifth  the  dry  Summer  Beaver  is  worth  very  Uttle,  about  i  s. 
9  d.  per  Pound. 

The  fixth  is  the  Coat  Beaver,  which  is  worn  till  it  ishalf  greafed, 
and  is  worth  4  j.  6  ^.  per  Pound. 

The  7th  the  Miifcovite  dry  Beaver,  of  a  fine  Skin,  covered  over 
with  a  filky  Hair  ;  they  wear  it  in  Riijjia,  and  comb  away  all  the 
fiiort  Down,  which  they  make  into  Stuffs  and  other  Works,  leav- 
ing nothing  but  the  filky  Hair  ;  this  is  worth  ^s.  6  d.  per  Found. 

The  eight  is  the  Mittain  Beaver,  cut  out  for  that  Purpofe  to 
make  Mittains,  to  preferve  them  from  the  Cold,  and  are  greafed 
by  being  ufed,  and  are   worth  1  s.  g  d.  per  Pound. 

Before  I  mention  the  Account  given  by  Jofeph  la  France,  the 
French  Canadefe  Indian,  whofe  Father,  he  fays,  was  a  Frenchman, 
and  his  Mother  an  Indian  of  the  Nation  of  the  Santeiirs,  who  re- 
fide  at  the  Fall  of  St.  Mary,  between  the  Upper  Lake  and  Lake 
of  Hurons ;  I  fliall  mention  the  State  of  the  Fnglip  and  French 
Trade  at  prefent  upon  thefe  Canada  Lakes. 

Mr.  Burnet,  when  he  was  appointed  Governor  of  New-Tork  in 
1727,  finding  that  the  French  in  Canada  were  in  Pofi"effion  of  all 
the  Indian  Fur  Trade,  through  all  the  Countries  adjoining  to  the 
Canadefe  Lakes,  except  what  Trade  the  EngliJJj  carried  on  with 
the  fix  Iroquefe  Nations,  (the  Tujkeruro  Nation  now  united  to  the 
others,  making  the  6th  Tribe)  and  knowing  that  the  chief  Sup- 
port of  the  Colony  at  Canada  was  the  Benefit  they  made  by  their 
Indian  Fur  Trade,  thought  it  of  great  Moment  to  gain  that  Trade 
to  our  Colony  of  Neiso-York  from  the  French  ;  upon  enquiring  in- 
to the  Nature  of  that  Trade,  and  Manner  of  carrying  it  on,  he 
found,  that  the  French  at  ^lebec  and  Montreal,  were  chiefly  fup- 
plied  with  European  Goods  from  the  Merchants  at  New-Tork, 
where  they  had  them  upon  much  eafier  Terms  than  they  could 
have  them  from  France  ;  by  which  he  found  we  could  trade  up- 
on much  better  Terms  diredlly  v/ith  the  Indians,  than  with  the 
French,  and  would  by  that  Means  make  all  the  Indians  our  Friends ; 
and  confequently  by  our  giving  them  our  Goods  cheaper  at  the  firft 
Hand,  we  might  gain  moll;  of  that  Trade  from  the  Frejtchy  and 

by 


(  ^7  ) 

by  that  Means  weaken  their  Colony  at  Canada,  whofe  chief  Sup- 
port is  from  that  Trade  ;  accordingly.  He  prohibited  the  Trade 
from  New-Iork  to  Canada,  by  an  Ad:  he  got  pafs'd  in  the  Aflem- 
bly  there  ;  and  being  oppos'd  in  it  by  the  Merchants  trading  to 
^ebec,  who  appeal 'dagainft  it  to  the  Council  in  England,  at  laft 
got  the  Adl  confirmed  by  the  Council  ;  by  this  Means  a  Trade 
was  open'd  direilly  with  the  Weftcrn  lndia?is  through  the  Ircquefe 
Country,  and  an  Intercourfe  and  Familiarity  of  Confequence,  be- 
twixt all  thefe  Nations  and  our  Colonies ;  the  Aflembly  was  at 
the  Expence  to  build  and  fortify  a  trading  Houfe  at  Ofwega,  on 
the  Cadarakui  or  Frontenac  Lake,  in  the  Neighbourhood  of  the 
Iroquefe,  near  the  Ono7itagues,  and  have  from  that  Time  maintain 'd 
a  Garifon  there  ;  by  this  Means  they  have  gained  a  confiderable 
Part  of  the  Trade  which  the  French  formerly  had  with  the  We- 
ftern  Indians,  and  all  the  Allies  of  the  Iroquefe  now  trade  with  us, 
as  well  as  thofe  on  the  Ilknefe  Lake,  MijJUimakinae,  and  ^aut  St. 
Mary.  Before  that  Time  a  very  inconfiderable  Number  were  em- 
ployed in  that  Trade  ;  now  above  300  are  employed  at  the  Trading 
Houfe  at  Ofwega  alone,  and  the  Indian  Trade  fince  that  Time  has 
fo  much  increafed,  that  feveral  Indian  Nations  come  now  each 
Year  to  trade  there,  whofe  Names  before  were  not  fo  much  as 
known  to  the  Fnglijh. 

The  feveral  Indian  Nations  who  are  now  in  Alliance  with  the 
fix  Nations,  and  trade  with  us  according  to  the  Information  given 
to  Conrad  Weafer  Efq;  in  open  Council  at  Turpehawkie,  at  their 
Return  from  the  Indian  Treaty  at  Philadelphia  in  yuly  1742,  are, 

1 .  A  Nation  of  Indians  living  on  the  Weft  Side  of  the  Lake  Er- 
rie,  and  along  the  Straits  to  Huron  Lake,  and  the  South  Side  of 
Huron  Lake  ;  they  are  called  by  the  Iroquefe  Vnighkillyia-kow,  con- 
fifting  of  about  30  Towns,  each  of  about  200  fighting  Men. 

2.  The  fecond  live  among  the   former  called confifting 

of  four  Towns  of  their  own  People,  and  400  able  Men  all. 

3 .  The  third  called  by  them  Ifiifageck  Roanu,  live  on  the  Eaft 
Side  of  the  Huron  Lake  ;  feveral  of  the  Council  have  been  there, 
and  they  all  agree  they  have  three  large  Towns  of  600,  800,  and 
1000  able  Men. 

4.  The  fourth,  called  Twightivis  Roanu,  live  at  the  Head  of 
Huakiky  River,  near  the  little  Lakes. 

E  2        "  5.  The 


(  i8  ) 


5.  The  fifth,  OjkiaUkis,  living  on  a  Branch  o?  Ohio,  that  Heads 
near  the  Lake  Errie,  four  large  Towns  of  about  1000  Warriors, 

6.  The  lixth,  OyachtowniikRoanu,  near  Black  River,  conlirts  of 
four  Towns,  and  1 000  Warriors. 

7.  The  feventh,  Kighetawkigh  Roanu,  upon  the  great  River 
MtJjiJJippi,  above  the  Mouth  of  Ohio,  three  Towns,  the  Number  of 
People  uncertain. 

8.  The  eighth,  Kirhawgimgh  Roanu,  feveral  Savage  Nations  as 
their  Niime  lignifies  (the  People  of  the  Wildernefsl  they  live  on  the 
North-iide  of  the  Huron  Lake  ;  they  neither  plant  Corn,  nor  any 
Thing  ehe,  but  live  altogether  upon  Flefli,  Roots  and  Herbs  ; 
an  infinite  Number  of  People  of  late  become  Allies  to  the  Iro- 
quefe. 

The  above  Account  was  communicated  by  a  Gentleman  of  good 
Underftanding  and  Probity,  and  very  well  flcill'd  in  the  Indian 
Tongue  and  Manners ,  being  himfelf  adopted  into  one  of  their 
Tribes,  and  is  their  conftant  Interpreter  at  the  Philadelphia  Trea- 
ties, and  the  Account  may  be  depended  upon. 

The  Iroquefe  are  now  civilizing,  and  many  of  them  become 
Chriftians  and  Proteflants,  by  the  Care  of  Mr.  Barclay  now  among 
them  ;  who  among  the  Moivhawks  has  m  great  Meafure  fupprefTed 
their  darling  Vice  Drunkennefs,  and  has  perfuaded  them  to  marry, 
and  not  to  divorce  their  Wives  ;  they  are  not  now  fo  cruel  to 
their  Enemies  as  formerly,  and  have  in  great  Meafure  left  off 
their  Wars  with  their  Neighbours,  having  entered  into  Alliances 
with  them,  and  by  that  Means  have  brought  their  Fur  Trade  to 
Ofwega  in  their  own  Country,  and  thus  the  mcfl:  material  Points 
are  gained  towards  civilizing  and  converting  them  to  Chrillianity. 
This  Account  is  of  lail:  Summer  1742. 

Ofwega  is  fituated  upon  the  Lake  Fronlenac,  about  20  Leagues 
below  the  Fall  of  Niagara  ;  the  Indian  Traders  have  two  Ways 
of  coming  there,  either  by  a  fliort  Land  Carriage  betwixt  two  Ri- 
vers, v/hich  fall  into  Huron  and  Frontenac  Lake,  and  io  crofs  that 
Lake  to  Ofwega,  or  by  the  Streight  of  St.  fofeph,  betwixt  Hiiro?! 
and  Errie  Lakes,  and  fo  to  the  Fall  of  Niagara,  where  they  have 
one  Land  Carriage,  and  then  go  by  Water  to  Ofwega.  This  is  a 
much  eafier  Voyage  and  Pafilige  than  to  Monreal,  and  fo  to  ^e- 
bec,  there  being  above  3  6  Fails  upon  the  River  Oiitaouas,  by  which 
they  pafs  from  Huron  Lake  to  Monreal;  and  if  they  fhould  go  by 

the 


(  2.9  ) 

the  Lake  Frontenac  down  the  River  St.  Laurence  to  Monreal^ 
which  is  80  Leagues ;  above  60  Leagues,  of  it  is  all  Sharps  and  Wa- 
terfalls, which  makes  it  both  dangerous  and  tedious  in  returning 
from  Mojireal,  and  the  E7iglijh  alfo  afford  their  Goods  better  and 
cheaper  than  the  French. 

Jofepb  la  France  is  now  about  36  Years  old.  Fie  was  born  at 
Miffilitnakinac,  and  was  5  Years  old  when  his  Mother  died.  His 
Father  then  took  him  with  him  to  ^ebec  to  learn  Fretich,  where 
he  flaid  the  Winter,  about  6  Months.  He  fays,  as  well  as  he  can 
remember,  ^lebec  was  about  a  League  long,  and  Half  a  League 
broad,  and  had  4  or  5000  Men  in  Garrifon,  it  being  about  the 
Time  of  the  Peace  of  Utrecht.  He  returned  from  thence  with  his 
Father,  and  lived  with  him  until  his  Death,  which  happened  when 
he  was  14  Years  old.  After  his  Death,  when  he  was  about  16, 
he  went  down  to  Monreal,  to  fell  what  Furs  and  Peltry  his  Father 
had  left  him,  and  then  returned  to  Mijfilimakinac,  where  he  traded 
and  hunted  in  the  neighbouring  Countries  until  he  was  27  Years 
old ;  in  which  Time  he  went  one  Year  to  MiJjiJJippi.  He  went 
by  the  lUiiieJe  Lake,  which  he  calls  Michigon.  At  the  Bottom  of 
the  Lake  there  was  a  French  Fort,  in  which  there  were  1 5  French  in 
Garrifon,  about  1 1  Years  ago.  The  River  upon  which  it  is  built, 
he  calls  St.  Jofeph,  it  is  very  rapid.  He  paffed  by  Otdfconf.c  to  the 
MiJiJJippi ,  and  went  down  it  as  far  as  the  River  Miff'oiiriSy  and  re- 
turned by  the  fame  Rout.  In  his  Return  he  paffed  by  the  Bay  of 
UOur  qui  Dort,  fo  called  from  a  Heap  of  Sand  upon  a  Point, 
which  refembles  a  Bear  fleeping.  When  he  was  28  Years  old,  he 
went  v/ith  a  Parcel  of  Furs,  with  8  Troquefe,  in  2  Canoes,  crofs 
the  Lake  of  Hiirons,  by  the  Bay  of  Sakinac,  to  the  Str eights  of 
Errie,  which  they  paffed  in  the  Night  for  fear  of  being  flopped 
by  the  French,  who  have  a  Village  or  little  Fort  there,  in  which 
he  believes  there  may  be  100  Houfes.  He  from  thence  paffed  thro' 
Lake  Errie  to  the  Fall  of  Niagara,  and  the  Iroquefe  carried  his 
Canoes  and  Furs  down  by  the  Fall  to  Lake  Frontenac,  for  which 
he  gave  them  100  Beavers,  and  thence  went  to  Ofwega,  but  was 
not  within  the  Fort  or  Town,  the  Iroquefe  felling  his  Furs  for  him, 
and  then  returned  by  the  fame  Way  to  MiJJilimakinac.  He  fays  the 
^rench  have  a  Fort  on  the  North  Side  of  the  Fall  of  Niagara,  be- 
twixt the  Lakes  Errie  and  Frontenac,  about  3  Leagues  within  the 
Woods  from  the  Fall,  in  which  they  keep  30  Soldiers,  and  have 

about 


(  3°  ) 


about  as  many  more  with  them  as  Servants  and  Affiftants ;  thefe 
have  a  fmall  f  rade  with  the  Indiam  for  Meat,  Ammunition  and 
Arms. 

About  6  Years  ago  he  went  again  to  Monreal  with  two  Indians^ 
and  a  confiderable  Cargo  of  Furs,  where  he  found  the  Governor 
oi Canada,  who  wintered  there.  He  made  him  a  Prefent  of  Mar- 
tins Skins,  and  alfo  i  coo  Crowns,  for  a  Conge  or  PaiTport  to  have 
a  Licence  to  trade  next  Year :  But  in  Spring  he  would  neither 
give  him  his  Conge  nor  his  Money,  under  Pretence  that  he  had  fold 
Brandy  to  the  Indians^  which  is  prohibited,  and  threatened  him 
with  Imprifonment  for  demanding  his  Money ;  fo  that  he  was 
obliged  to  ileal  away  with  his  two  Indians,  and  what  Goods  he  had 
got  in  Exxhange  for  his  Furs,  with  his  3  Canoes.  Monreal,  he 
fays,  is  about  60  Leagues  above  ^lebec.  It  is  a  large  Town,  about 
a  League  and  a  Half  in  Circuit  within  the  Walls,  which  are  1 5 
Feet  high,  of  Lime  and  Stone.  They  have  300  Men  in  Garrifon. 
This  is  the  only  confiderable  Town  in  Canada  belides  ^lebec  ;  for 
Trois  Rivieres  is  but  a  Village.  He  fays  they  have  a  Fort  the  Na- 
tives call  Catarakui  Fort,  80  Leagues  above  Monreal,  near  Lake 
Frontenac,  in  which  they  keep  a  Garrifon  of  40  Men,  as  the  hi- 
dians  informed  him,  and  about  as  many  more  Inhabitants.  The 
River  St.  Laurence,  from  thence  to  Monreal,  is  fo  full  of  Water- 
falls, and  fo  rapid,  that  there  is  the  utmoft  Danger  and  Difficulty 
in  going  by  Water,  and  no  going  fo  far  by  Land  through  the 
Woods,  fo  that  no  Trade  can  be  carried  on  that  Way  but  at  great 
Expence. 

They  have  no  other  fortified  Places  in  Canada  but  one  Fort  called 
Champli,  near  Champlain  Lake,  upon  the  E?iglifi  and  Iroquefe 
Frontiers,  in  which  they  have  20  Men  in  Garrifon. 

He  was  above  40  Days  in  going  up  the  River  from  Monreal  to 
the  Lake  Nepejing,  which  is  at  the  Source  of  that  River  which  he 
calls  St.  Laurence,  and  not  the  River  which  paffes  through  the 
Lakes,  but  La  Hontan  calls  it  the  River  Outaouas.  He  had  36 
Land  Carriages  before  he  got  to  Nepifi7ig.  He  was  but  1 8  Days  in 
going  down  it  to  Monreal.  He  fays  the  River  Nepifing  runs  from 
the  fame  Lake  into  the  Lake  of  Hurons.  This  is  what  La  Hontan 
calls  Freticb  River  ;  it  is  20  Leagues  in  its  Courfe,  and  had  three 
Falls  upon  it,  which  they  defcended  in  two  Days  j  and  with  a 
fdir  Wind  they  might  go  from  thence  to  Mijilmahnac  in  two  Days 
1  more 


(  31  ) 


more  along  the  Illands.  Upon  his  Return  he  exchanged  his  Goods 
for  Furs,  and  refolved  to  try  his  Fortune  once  more  to  Monreal^ 
and  make  his  Peace  with  the  Governor.  He  fays,  when  he  left 
MiJJilimakinac,  there  were  but  2  Men  with  the  Governor  in  Garri- 
fon,  which  was  only  to  open  and  iQiut  the  Gates.  He  fays,  that  of 
late  the  Trade  from  thence  to  Monreal  is  fo  much  leflened  upon  ac- 
count of  the  EngliJJ:)  fupplying  the  Indiatis  much  cheaper  and  bet- 
ter, by  an  eafy  Navigation  through  the  Lakes  to  Niagara,  that 
there  does  not  go  above  1 2  Canoes  in  a  Year,  and  thofe  Licences 
are  generally  given  to  fuperannuated  Officers ;  the  Avarice  and  In- 
juftice  of  the  Governor  of  Canada  has  like  wife  difgufted  the  Na- 
tives. 

After  having  got  a  Parcel  of  Furs,  he,  with  two  Indian  Slaves, 
and  3  Canoes,  pafled  the  Lake  Huron,  and  enter'd  the  River  Ne- 
pifing,  and  went  up  it  feveral  I  eagues  ;  but  at  a  Turn  in  the  River 
he  met  9  Canoes,  in  which  was  the  Governor's  Brother-in-law, 
with  30  Soldiers,  and  as  many  more  to  manage  the  Canoes,  who 
feized  him  and  his  Furs,  and  Slaves,  as  a  Runav/ay  without  a  Paff- 
port,  and  would  have  carried  him  away  to  Monreal,  but  he  made 
his  Efcape  into  the  Woods  in  the  Night,  with  only  his  Gun  and  five 
Charges  of  Powder  and  Ball,  and  pafled  by  Land  alone  through 
the  Woods  on  the  North  Side  of  Huron  Lake,  until  he  met  with 
fome  of  the  Mijfada  Indians,  who  live  there,  having  been  fix 
Weeks  in  his  Journey,  travelling  behind  the  Mountains,  on  the 
North  Side  of  the  Lake,  in  a  marfhy  Country,  abounding  with 
Beavers,  and  thus  returned  to  S,aut  St.  Marie ;  and  having  lofl:  all, 
determined  to  go  to  the  Englijh  in  Hudfon's  Bay,  by  paffing  through 
the  Indian  Nations  Weft  of  the  upper  Lake,  until  he  fhould  arrive, 
by  thefe  Lakes  and  Rivers  which  run  Northwards,  at  Tork  Fort, 
on  N elfin-  River. 

He  fet  out  in  the  Beginning  of  Winter  1739  upon  this  Journey 
and  Voyage,  and  hunted  and  lived  with  the  Indians  his  Relations 
the  Saufeurs,  on  the  North  Side  of  the  upper  Lake,  where  he  was 
well  acquainted,  having  hunted  and  traded  thereabouts  for  fourteen 
Years.  He  fays  the  upper  Lake  has  three  Iflands  near  the  North 
Shore,  about  3  Leagues  from  the  Shore ;  they  are  about  3  or  4 
Leagues  each  in  Circumference.  One  of  them  he  calls  IJle  du  Li- 
gnon  i  they  are  full  of  fine  Woods,  as  is  all  the  North  Coaft,  which 

is 


(  3i  ) 

is  very  mountainous,  but  the  Country  is  very  fine  to  the  Northward 
of  the  high  Land. 

The  Upper  Lake  falls  into  the  Lake  of  Hurons  by  the  Falls  of 
St.  Mary,  v/hich  is  a  Rapid  Current  of  feveral  Leagues.  From  that 
Fall  to  the  River  Michipikoton  on  the  North  Side  of  tfe  Lake,  is  60 
Leagues  ;  that  River  is  navigable  Northward  for  20  Leagues, 
being  3  Fathoms  deep  and  without  Catarafts ;  it  runs  through  a 
Valley  betwixt  the  Mountains,  which  is  about  three  Leagues  wide, 
full  of  fine  Woods ;  and  then  there  is  a  Fork  where  two  Branches 
meet,  and  on  each  Side,  at  a  confiderable  Diftance,  are  two  round 
Hills  detached  from  the  others,  which  they  call  Le  deux  Mamelles, 
or  two  Paps ;  thefe  two  Branches  come  from  their  feveral  Sources, 
after  running  about  eight  Leagues,  through  a  Country  abounding 
in  Beavers.  There  are  two /«i?««  Nations  upon  this  North  Coaft, 
the  Epinette  Nation  are  upon  the  Eaft  Side  of  that  River,  and  the 
OuaJJi  upon  the  Weft  Side,  both  Tribes  of  the  Saufeurs. 

About  100  Leagues  farther  Wefl:  is  another  River,  which 
runs  from  the  North-wefi;  into  this  Lake,  which  he  calls  the  Ri- 
ver du  Pique  from  a  fliarp  Rock  at  the  Mouth  of  the  River, 
formed  like  a  Pike  or  Halbert,  it  is  only  navigable  for  about  three 
Leagues  to  a  Fall,  above  which  is  a  Lake  about  fix  Leagues  long, 
Avhich  comes  from  a  marfliy  Country  full  of  Beavers  ;  on  the 
Wefl  Side  of  this  River,  and  of  the  Upper  Lake,  is  a  Range  of 
Mountains  full  of  Woods,  and  a  River  full  of  Catarads  defcends 
from  them,  and  enters  into  the  River  du  Pique,  a  little  before  it 
pafTes  into  the  Lake  ;  among  thefe  Mountains  are  feveral  rich 
Mines  ;  he  faw  feme  very  good  Lead  and  Copper  Oar,  which  the 
Natives  brouo-ht  down  from  thefe  Mountains.  On  the  South-weft 
Side  of  the  Lake,  under  thefe  Mountains,  is  a  flat  Country,  full 
of  Woods  and  Beavers,  but  the  South  and  South-eaft  Side  is  a  fandy, 
low,  dry  Country,  without  Wood.  He  ftaid  Part  of  the  Winter 
with  the  Indians  at  Michipikoton,  and  in  the  Month  of  March  got 
to  the  River  Du  Pique,  which  he  pafiTed  on  the  Ice,  it  being  not 
then  thawed.  He  fays  there  are  many  Beavers  alfo  among  the 
Mountains,  Southward  of  that  River,  they  having  great  Flats 
above,  and  among  the  Mountains,  where  they  make  their  Dams 
and  Ponds.  The  Ice  was  quite  gone  on  the  South-weft  Side  of 
the  Lake  by  the  15th  of  Jpril'N.  S.  He  fays  the  Lake  is  never 
frozen  at  any  Diftance  from  the  Shore,  only  in  little  Bays,  where 
I  it 


(  2,3  ) 


it  fometimes  is  frozen,   and  breaks  off,    and  is  carried  out  and  in 
with  the  Wind. 

On  the  fandy  Coaft  on  the  South-eaft  Side  of  the  Lake,  there 
is  nothing  but  Shrubs  not  above  iix  Feet  high  ;  but  at  fome  Di- 
ftance  from  the  Coaft  there  are  fine  Meadows  and  Pafture,  full  of 
Elks,  Stags,  Deer,  Goats,  wild  Beeves,  Gfc.  interfperfed  with 
Woods ;  and  the  Indian  Nations  in  the  neighbouring  Countries 
remove  thither  in  the  Summer  Seafon  to  hunt  and  feed  upon 
them. 

On  the  South-weft  Side  of  the  Lake,  betwixt  the  woody  and 
Champaign  fandy  Country,  there  is  a  Land  Carriage  of  3  Leagues, 
and  they  came  to  a  Marfh  or  Bog  about  a  League  long,    and  five 
Furlongs  over,    and  from  thence  another  Land  Carriage  of  nine 
Leagues  to  the  River  Du  Pluis,    which,    after  a  Courfe  of  fifteen 
Leagues,    falls  into  the  Lake  Du  Finis.     He  was  from  the  Begin- 
ning to  the  1 8th  oi  April  1740  in  getting  to  this  River  ;  there  he, 
and  the  Indians  with  him,  got  fine  Birch  Trees  of  a  great  Size  to 
make  their  Canoes.     The  River  they  embark'd  upon  was  about 
three  Furlongs  broad,    but  was  not  deep,    and  had  no  Waterfalls  ; 
the  Courfe  was  South-weft.     The  Indiaiis  who  are  on  the  Weft 
Side  of  that  River  are  called  Monfoni  or  Mojonique,    or  Gens  de 
Orignal.     The  Lake  Tin  Pluis  is  100  Leagues  in  Length,  and  is  fo 
called  from  a  perpendicular  Water-fall,  by  which  the  Water  falls 
into  a  a  River  South-weft  of  it,  which  raifes  a  Mift-like  Rain.    He 
was  1 5  Days  in  paffing  down  this  River  to  the  Lake  Du  Pluis  in 
his  Canoe ;    he  coafted  along  the  North- weft  Side  of  the  Lake, 
which  was  full  of  fine  Woods,  but  there  was  none  on  the  South- 
eaft  Side,    as  the  Natives  informed  him,    except  near  the  Edge  of 
the  Lake,  for  about  Half  the  Length  of  the  Lake,  at  which  Place 
a  River  enters  it  from  the  South  Side,  which  comes  from  a  low 
Country, .  full  of  Beavers.     The  French,    upon  account  of  thefe 
Land  Carriages,    never  pafs  into  thefe  Countries  adjoining  to  this 
Lake. 

He  pafled  the  Lake  Du  Pluis  in  the  latter  End  oi  April,  and 
Beginning  of  May,  and  ftaid  10  Days  at  the  Fall  with  the  Monfo- 
ni, where  they  filh  with  Nets  at  the  Bottom  of  the  Fall.  They 
have  two  great  Villages,  one  on  the  North  Side,  and  the  other  on 
the  South  Side  of  the  Fall. 

F  The 


(  34) 


The  River  Du  Phds,  which  falls  from  the  Lake,  is  a  fine  large 
River,  which  runs  Weftward,  and  is  about  t,  Furlongs  in  Breadth  ; 
its  Courfe  is  about  60  Leagues  before  it  falls  into  the  Lake  Du 
Bois,  or  Des  IJIes,  and  is  free  from  Catarails,  having  only  two 
fharp  Streams.  He  was  i  o  Days  in  going  down  it  in  his  Canoe  j 
the  whole  Country  along  its  Banks  is  full  of  fine  Woods,  in  which 
are  great  Variety  of  Wild-fowl  and  Beails,  as  wild  Beaver,  Stags, 
Elk,  Deer,  &c.  and  the  River  and  adjoining  Lakes  full  of  excel- 
lent Fifli.  This  River  falls  into  the  Lake  Du  Bois,  where  he  ar- 
rived about  the  End  of  Mciy.  This  Lake  is  very  large,  and  filled 
with  fine  lOands  j  he  was  30  Days  in  pafling  it,  filliing  and  hunt- 
ing as  he  went  with  the  Natives,  and  ftaid  a  Month  in  one  of  the 
Wands  with  the  Monfoni  and  Sturgeon  Indians,  who  live  on  the 
North  Side  of  this  Lake,  and  meet  in  that  Ifland  to  be  merry  and 
confirm  their  Friendfhip  and  Alliance  ;  thefe  lafi:  are  called  fo 
from  the  great  Number  of  Sturgeons  they  take  in  this  Lake,  which 
is  the  greateft  Part  of  their  Provifions.  He  ftaid  there  until  the 
Month  of  Augujl  -,  all  thefe  Iflands  and  Coafts  are  low,  and  fiiU  of 
fine  Woods,  where  all  kind  of  Fowl  breed.  At  the  Weft  End  of 
this  Lake,  which  is  much  longer  than  the  Lake  Du  Pluis,  a  great 
River  enters  it  near  the  Place  where  the  great  Ouinipique  River 
pafi"es  out  of  it,  and  runs  into  the  Lake  of  the  fame  Name.  This 
River  has  a  long  Courfe  from  the  Southward.  On  the  South-weft 
of  this  Lake  is  the  Nation  of  the  Sieiix  Indians.  The  River  Oui- 
nipique is  as  large  as  the  River  Du  Pluis^  but  is  much  more  rapid, 
having  about  30  Falls  or  Sharps  upon  it,  where  they  muft  carry 
their  Canoes.  Two  or  three  of  them  are  Carriages  of  a  League 
or  two,  the  others  are  very  fliort.  Upon  that  Account  he  was  1 5 
Days  in  going  down  the  River,  which  runs  North-weft  about  1 00 
Leagues.  It  alfo  runs  through  a  fine  woody  Country,  having  ma- 
ny Sorts  of  Timber  Trees  of  great  Bulk,  On  the  South-weft 
Side,  at  fome  Diftance,  is  a  flat  Country,  full  of  Meadows ;  at  the 
Falls  it  is  about  a  Furlong  in  Breadth,  in  other  Places  three  or  four. 
He  arrived  at  the  great  Ouinipique  Lake  in  September ;  he  was 
about  30  Days  in  pafiing  it,  fliooting  and  fifiiing  as  he  went.  After 
going  half  way  through  it,  he  joined  the  Cris  or  Chriftinaux  In- 
dians, who  live  on  the  North-eaft  Side,  and  went  on  Shore,  and 
hunted  Beavers  all  the  Autumn.  He  faw  but  two  Ifles  in  it ;  one 
was  fiall  of  Wood,  it  was  about  3  Leagues  long  and  2  broad.  He 
I  called 


(  35  ) 


called  it  the  IJle  Du  Blche,  or  of  Hhids,  there  being  feveral  upon 
it ;  the  other  was  fandy,  and  without, Wood,  full  of  Gecfc  and 
other  Water- fowl,  which  breed  there  ;  he  called  it  Goofe  Ijle^  but 
the  Natives  called  it  Sandy  IJle. 

On  the  Weft  Side  of  this  Lake  the  Indians  told  him  a  River  en- 
ter'd  it,  which  was  navigable  with  Canoes  ;  it  defcended  from  Lac 
Rougeor,  the  Red  Lake,  called  fo  from  the  Colour  of  the  Sand  ; 
they  faid  there  were  two  other  Rivers  run  out  of  that  Lake,  one 
into  the  MiJJiJJippt,  and  the  other  Weftward,  into  a  mariliy  Coun- 
try, full  of  Beavers. 

The  Country  Weft  of  the  Ouinipique  Lake  has  dry  Iflands  or 
Hills  with  marfhy  Bottoms,  full  of  Wood  and  Meadows.  On  the 
Eaft  Side  is  a  fine  flat  Country,  full  of  Woods,  until  they  come 
to  tlie  Bottom  of  the  Mountains,  which  are  betwixt  this  and  the 
upper  Lake.  On  a  Lake  on  that  Side,  betwixt  this  Lake  and  Lake 
Du  Bois,  are  the  Migechichilinious,  or  Eagle-eyed  Indians ;  theie, 
he  fays,  are  not  called  fo  from  their  having  a  iharp  Sight,  but  upon 
account  of  many  Eagles  which  breed  in  Iflands  in  that  Lake. 

Upon  the  Weft  Side  of  Lake  Ouinipique  are  the  Nation  of  the 
AJfmibouels  of  the  Meadows,  and  farther  North  a  great  Way,  are 
the  AJJiniboiieh  of  the  Woods.  To  the  Southward  of  thefe  are  the 
Nation  of  Beaux  Hommes,  fituated  betwixt  them  and  the  Sieux  In- 
dians. The  Indians  on  the  Eaft  Side  are  the  Chriftinaux,  vvhofe 
Tribes  go  as  far  North  on  that  Side  as  the  AJfmibouels  do  on  the 
other.  All  thefe  Nations  go  naked  in  Summer,  and  paint  or  ftain 
their  Bodies  with  different  Figures,  anointing  themfelves  with 
Greafe  of  Deer,  Beavers,  Bears,  ^c.  which  prevents  the  Mufki- 
toes,  Serpents,  or  other  Vermin,  from  biting  them,  they  having 
an  Antipathy  to  all  Oils. 

The  great  Ouinipique  Lake  was  frozen  over  in  Winter  ;  it  is  no 
where  i  o  Leagues  wide,  and  in  feme  Places  not  above  a  Lea2;ae 
and  a  Half  wide  ;  the  Winter  tliere  was  not  fevere,  it  lafted  about 
3  Months  and  a  Half,  the  Froft  breaking  up  there  in  March. 

This  Lake  is  difcharged  into  the  little  Ouinipique  by  a  River  he 
calls  the  Red  River,  or  little  Oui?iipique,  after  a  Courfe  Northwaj'ds 
of  about  60  Leagues. 

This  River  runs  through  the  like  woody  Country  as  the  others ; 
but  the  Weft  Side  is  more  temperate  than  the  Eaft,    upon  account 

F  2  K-ii 


(  36  ) 


of  the  Mountains  to  Eaftward  of  it ;    from  whence  a  River  de- 
fcends  into  it  through  a  marfhy  Country,  full  of  Beavers. 

He  made  his  Canoe  in  the  Spring,  at  the  North  End  of  this 
Lake,  and  went  down  to  the  little  Ouimpique  in  the  Beginning  of 
Summer  ;  this  laft  Lake  is  about  3  5  Leagues  long,  and  6  broad  ; 
there  is  but  one  little  liland  in  it,  almoft  upon  a  Water  Level,  the 
Indians  call  it  Mmi  Sabique. 

■  The  Courfe  of  this  Lake  is  from  South  to  North,  through  a 
Avoody,  low  Country.  In  all  thefe  Countries  are  many  Kinds  of 
Avild  Fruit,  as  Cherries,  Plumbs,  Strawberries,  Nuts,  Walnuts, 
&c.  The  Winters  here  are  from  3  to  4  Months,  according  as 
they  happen  to  be  more  or  lefs  fevere.  He  paffed  this  Lake,  and 
the  River  which  runs  into  the  Lake  Du  Sie7is,  in  Summer  and  Au- 
tumn ;  this  is  about  1 00  Leagues  from  the  other.  He  fays  there 
is  a  Fork  in  this  River  Du  Sicns,  by  which  one  Branch  difcharges 
itfelf  more  Wefterly,  and  runs  into  the  Country,  where  is  the  Na- 
tion of  Vieiix  Hommes ;  this  Nation  is  not  called  fo  from  the  Age 
of  the  Inhabitants,  but  from  a  Number  of  old  Men,  who  fepa- 
rated  from  fome  others,  under  a  Chief  or  Leader  of  their  own  ; 
and  from  that  time  they  were  called  fo.  On  the  Baft  Side  there 
enters  a  rapid  River  from  the  Mountains,  full  of  Falls,  upon  which 
the  Nation  Du  Cris  Panis  Blanc  inhabit,  who  are  ftill  a  Tribe  of 
the  Chriftinaiix. 

The  Lake  Du  Siens  is  but  fmall,  being  not  above  3  Leagues  in 
Circuit ;  but  all  around  its  Banks,  in  the  fhallow  Water  and  Marfh- 
es,  grows  a  kind  of  wild  Oat,  of  the  Nature  of  Rice  ;  the  out- 
ward Hulk  is  black,  but  the  Grain  within  is  white  and  clear  like 
Rice  ;  this  the  Indians  beat  off  into  their  Canoes,  and  ufe  it  for 
Food. 

AH  the  Country  adjoining  this  River  is  alfo  full  of  Beavers. 
Here  the  Winter  overtook  him,  and  he  was  obliged  to  part  with 
his  Canoe,  and  travelled  and  hunted  through  that  Country  for  fix 
Months,  in  which  Time  he  paiTed  Northwards  near  100  Leagues, 
but  would  have  been  much  more,  had  he  followed  the  Courfe  of 
the  River  in  Summer  in  his  Canoe.  He  got  to  the  Lake  Cariboux 
in  the  Beginning  of  March  ij^i  :  This  Lake  is  about  10  Leagues 
long,  and  5  broad ;  the  Ice  was  beginning  to  thaw  when  he  came 
there  ;  a  Tribe  of  the  Chrijlinaux  live  on  the  Eaft  of  this  Lake, 
and  the  JJfiniboiieis  of  the  Woods  on  the  Weft  Side.  The  River 
I  Cariboux 


(  37  ) 

Cariboux  runs  out  of  tliis  Lake  Northwards  for  about  1 5  Leagues, 
and  then  it  fpreads,  and  is  waiied  in  a  marfhy  Country,  where 
tliere  is  no  paffing  by  Water,  nor  by  Land  in  Summer  -,  the  Ice 
being  then  breaking  up,  he  was  obhged  to  go  about  1 5  Leagues 
Eaftward,  to  avoid  the  Bogs,  before  he  could  reach  the  Lake 
Pachegoia,  into  which  the  River  Cariboux  defcends  through  the 
Marflies. 

Pachegoia  is  the  Lake  where  all  the  Indians  affemble  in  the 
latter  End  of  March  every  Year,  to  cut  the  Birch  Trees  and  make 
their  Canoes  of  the  Bark,  which  then  begins  to  run,  in  order  to 
pafs  down  the  River  to  Tork  Fort  on  Nelfon  River  with  their  Furs  ; 
it  is  divided  fo  as  to  make  almofl  two  Lakes ;  the  Weft  Side  by 
which  he  pafs'd  was  about  1 00  Leagues  in  Circuit ;  the  other  Side 
or  Eaftern  Lake  was  much  larger,  as  the  Indians  informed  him. 
The  River  De  vieux  Hommes  runs  from  the  Weft  for  about  200 
Leagues,  and  falls  into  this  Lake,  near  the  Place  the  River  Cari- 
btiux  enters  it  ;  it  has  a  ftrong  Current  and  is  always  muddy,  but 
there  are  no  Falls  upon  it ;  thefe  go  generally  down  the  River  Ma- 
fioutifibi  or  Churchill  River,  and  trade  there,  having  either  a  Paf- 
fage  or  {hort  Land  Carriage  to  that  River.  The  Lake  Pachegoia 
was  furrounded  with  fine  Woods  of  Oak,  Cedar,  Pine,  Poplar, 
Birch,  (sc.  He  arrived  there  the  latter  End  of  March,  and  he, 
with  the  other  Indians,  cut  the  Bark  for  their  Canoes,  and  then 
hunted  for  fome  Time  for  Provifions ;  they  begun  to  make  their 
Canoes  the  firft  of  Aprils.  S.  which  they  finifhed  in  three  Days; 
on  the  4th,  he  being  appointed  one  of  their  Leaders,  fet  out  with 
100  Canoes  in  Company,  for  the  Fadory  at  Tork  Fort;  there  are 
generally  two  Indians  in  a  Canoe,  but  he  was  alone  in  his  ;  they 
were  three  Weeks  in  pafling  along  the  Weft  Side  of  the  Lake  be- 
fore they  came  to  the  Place  it  is  difcharged  by  the  River  Savanne 
or  Epi7iette  ;  for  they  were  obliged  to  coaft  the  Weft  Side  of  the 
Lake  in  their  little  Canoes,  and  keep  along  the  Bottom  of  each 
Bay  ;  for  thefe  fmall  Canoes  can  bear  no  Surge  or  Waves  when  the 
Wind  blows,  and  when  they  came  to  any  Point  on  the  Lake,  if 
there  was  any  Wind,  they  were  obliged  to  carry  their  Furs  and 
Canoes  over  the  Land  to  the  next  Bay,  which,  with  hunting  for 
Provifions  delayed  them  greatly ;  at  that  Time  they  had  neither 
Ice  on  the  Lake  nor  Snow  on  the  Land.  In  the  Beginning  of 
May  N.  S.  he  enter'd  the  River  Savanne,  but  did  not   reach  the 

great 


(38  ) 

great  Fork  where  the  River  divides,  until  the  Beginning  of  'June ; 
for  the  Indians,  what  with  hunting  for  Provilions,  and  from  their 
Lazinefs,  who  would  not  flir  or  exercife  in  the  Heat  of  the  Day, 
it  being  then  very  warm,  and  the  Trees  all  fully  blown  j  and  from 
fome  Land  Carriages  upon  the  Sharps  and  Falls,  did  not  go  above 
two  or  three  Leagues  in  a  Day.  The  River  was  fmall  where  it 
came  out  of  the  Lake  for  about  fix  Leagues,  it  fpreading  through 
feveral  little  Paflages  through  the  Marfhes,  but  farther  down,  when 
coUedled  together,  formed  a  large  River  ;  it  was  then  quite  free  of 
Ice,  they  had  a  brifk  Current,  and  feveral  Sharps,  but  had  but  one 
Carriage  of  loo  Yards  j  it  is  about  80  or  90  Leagues  from  the  Lake 
to  the  Fork.  The  Land  at  fome  Diftance  from  the  River  was  dry 
and  hilly,  and  full  of  fine  Trees  of  great  Bulk  and  Heighth,  as 
Fir,  Pine,  Spruce,  Afh,  Elm,  Birch,  Cedar,  Alder,  ^c.  The 
Banks  were  low,  until  they  got  to  the  great  Fork,  where  the  Ri- 
ver is  divided  by  a  Rock  upon  which  a  convenient  Fort  might  be 
built,  which  might  be  cut  off  by  bringing  the  Water  around  it. 
It  is  about  60  Leagues  from  this  Fork  to  the  Fadtory ;  they  ftay'd 
here  eight  Days  to  hunt  for  Provifions  ;  there  not  being  plenty  of 
Game  upon  the  Eafi:  Branch,  which  is  the  Way  he  went  down, 
it  being  the  fhorteft  Paffage  ;  at  the  fame  time  another  Fleet  of 
100  Canoes  went  down  the  Weftern  Branch  ;  it  was  the  29th  of 
June  N.  S.  when  he  got  to  the  Fa(flory,  and  the  other  Party  who 
went  down  the  other  Branch,  were  three  Weeks  later.  From  this 
Fork  to  within  four  or  five  Leagues  of  the  Fort,  the  Banks  are 
high,  and  of  red  Earth,  from  which  he  calls  the  River  from  the 
Fork,  the  River  de  Terre  rouge  ;  and  from  that  Place  they  defcend 
gradually  to  the  Sea,  until  they  are  near  a  Water  Level  ;  the  Cur- 
rent was  very  eafy  from  the  Fork  to  the  Fort,  the  Illand  to  Weft- 
ward  of  their  Channel  was  full  of  Wood,  hut  the  Country  above 
and  beyond  the  other  Bank,  was  not  fo  woody.  They  were  about 
three  Weeks  in  going  from  the  Fork  to  the  Factory  ;  for  the  Indi- 
ans told  him,  notwithftanding  it  was  fo  warm  and  pleafant  in 
pafilng  down  the  River,  and  the  Trees  fully  blown,  that  when 
they  would  come  near  the  Sea,  they  would  find  it  very  cold-  with 
Snow  and  Ice  in  the  River,  and  the  Trees  but  juft  beginning  to 
bud  ;  and  accordingly  they  delayed  going  down  fo  foon  as  they 
otherwife  might,  or  tliey  could  have  gone  down  in  four  or  five 
Days ;  this  he  could  not  eafily  believe,  confidcriiig  hov/  forward 

the 


(  39  ) 


the  Spring  was  there,  and  the  Weather  fo  warm  ;  but  when  he 
came  within  four  or  five  Leagues  of  the  -Fort  where  the  Land  be- 
gan to  flope  towards  the  Sea,  he  then  found  a  great  deal  of  Ice 
in  the  River,  and  the  Trees  butjuft  budding,  and  when  he  got 
to  the  Fort,  the  Snow  fell  in  one  Night  three  or  four  Inches  thick, 
but  all  above,  along  the  River,  the  Climate  and  Seafon  was  warm, 
and  the  Trees  all  in  high  Bloom. 

Two  Days  after  he  got  to  Tork  Fort,  one  of  the  Monfoni  Indi- 
ans arrived  there  with  his  Wife  ;  he  had  four  Packs  of  Beavers  of 
40  each  ;  he  told  him  he  came  by  the  River  and  Lake  Du  Pique ^ 
and  was  two  Years  hunting  from  thence  before  he  got  to  the 
Fort  ;  that  he  had  about  fixty  Land  Carriages,  paffing  from  Lake 
to  Lake,  having  no  Rivers  running  the  Courfe  he  came,  except 
one  which  he  pafled  down  for  two  Days  3  he  came  to  one  very 
great  Lake,  in  which  he  could  difcover  no  Land  on  either  Side, 
but  pafTed  along  it  from  Ifland  to  Ifland,  which  took  him  up  a 
confiderable  Time. 

The  hidiam  being  obliged  to  go  afhore  every  Day  to  hunt  for 
Provifions,  delays  them  very  much  in  their  Voyages  ;  for  their 
Canoes  are  fo  fmall,  holding  only  two  Men  and  a  Pack  of  100 
Beavers  Skins,  that  they  can't  carry  Provifions  with  them  for  any 
Time ;  if  they  had  larger  Canoes  they  could  make  their  Voyages 
fhorter,  and  carry  many  more  Beavers  to  Market,  at  leaft  four 
times  as  many,  befides  other  Skins  of  Value,  which  are  too  heavy 
for  their  prefent  Canoes ;  this,  and  the  high  Price  fet  upon  the  Eu- 
ropean Goods  by  the  Company  in  Exchange,  difcourages  the  Na- 
tives fo  much,  that  if  it  were  not  that  they  are  under  a  Necefiity 
of  having  Guns,  Powder  and  Shot,  Hatchets,  and  other  Iron  Tools 
for  their  Hunting,  and  Tobacco,  Brandy,  and  fome  Paint  for 
Luxury,  they  would  not  go  down  to  the  Fadory  with  what  they 
now  carry  ;  at  prefent  they  leave  great  Numbers  of  Furs  and  Skins 
behind  them.  A  good  Hunter  among  the  Indians  can  kill  600 
Beavers  in  a  Seafon,  and  can  carry  down  but  100,  the  reft  he 
ufes  at  home,  or  hangs  them  upon  Branches  of  Trees,  upon  the 
Death  of  their  Children  as  an  Ofi^ering  to  them,  or  ufe  them  for 
Bedding  and  Coverings ;  they  fometimes  burn  off  the  Fur,  and 
roft  the  Beavers  like  Pigs,  upon  any  Entertainments,  and  they 
often  let  them  rot,  having  no  further  Ufe  of  them.  Tlie  Beavers, 
he  fays,  are  of  three  Colours  j  the  brown  reddilh  Colour,  the  black, 

and 


(  40  ) 

and  the  white  ;  the  firft  is  the  cheapeft ;  the  black  is  moft  valued 
by  the  Company,  and  in  England ;  the  white,  tho'  moft  valued 
in  Canada,  giving  1 8  Shillings,  when  others  gave  5  or  6  Shillings, 
is  blown  upon  by  the  Company's  Fadlors  at  the  Bay,  they  not  al- 
lowing fo  much  for  thefe  as  for  the  others  ;  and  therefore  the 
Indians  ufe  them  at  home,  or  burn  off  the  Hair,  when  they 
roaft  the  Beavers  like  Pigs,  at  an  Entertainment  when  they  feaft 
together  j  he  fays  thefe  Skins  are  extremely  white,  and  have  a  fine 
Luftre,  no  Snow  being  whiter,  and  have  a  line  long  Fur  or  Hair  ; 
he  has  feen  1 5  taken  of  that  Colour  out  of  one  Lodge  or  Pond. 
The  Beavers  have  three  Enemies,  Man,  Otters,  and  the  Carca- 
Mon  or  Queequehatch,  which  prey  upon  them  when  they  take 
them  at  an  Advantage  ;  the  laft  is  as  large  as  a  very  great  Dog, 
it  has  a  fliort  Tail  like  a  Deer  or  Hair,  and  has  a  good  Fur,  va- 
lued at  a  Beaver  and  half  in  Exchange.  The  Beavers  chiefeft 
Food  is  the  Poplar  or  Tremble,  but  they  alfo  eat  Sallows,  Alders, 
and  moft  other  Trees  not  having  a  refinous  Juice  j  the  middle  Bark 
is  their  Food  ;  in  May  when  the  Wood  is  not  plenty,  they  live  up- 
on a  large  Root  which  grows  in  the  Marflies  a  Fathom  long,  and 
as  thick  as  a  Man's  Leg,  the  French  call  it  Volet ;  but  the  Beavers 
are  not  fo  good  Food  as  when  they  feed  upon  Trees.  They  will 
vC'.'t  ^'^^^  down  Trees  above  two  Fathoms  in  Girth  with  their  Teeth, 
and  one  of  them  obferves  when  it  is  ready  to  fall,  and  gives  a  great 
Cry,  and  runs  the  contrary  Way,  to  give  Notice  to  the  reft  to  get 
out  of  the  Way  ;  they  then  cut  off  all  the  Top  Twigs,  and  fmaller 
Branches  two  or  three  Fathoms  in  Length,  and  draw  them  to 
their  Houfes  which  they  have  built  in  their  Ponds,  after  havins; 
railed  or  repaired  their  Pond  Head,  and  made  it  ftaunch,  and  thruft 
one  End  into  the  Clay  or  Mud,  that  they  may  lie  under  Water  all 
the  Winter,  to  preferve  the  Bark  green  and  tender  for  their  Winter 
Provifion  ;  after  cutting  off  the  fmall  Branches,  they  cut  and  carry 
away  the  larger,  until  they  come  to  the  Bole  of  the  Tree.  The 
Beavers  are  delicious  Food,  but  the  Tongue  and  Tail  the  moft  de- 
licious Parts  of  the  whole ;  they  are  very  fat  from  No'vember  un- 
til the  End  of  March ;  they  have  their  Young  in  the  Beginning  of 
Summer,  at  which  time  the  Females  are  lean  by  fuckling  their 
Young,  and  the  Males  are  lean  the  whole  Summer,  when  they 
^re  making  or  repairing  their  Ponds  and  Houfes,  and  cutting  down 
and  providing  Timber  and  Branches  for  their  Winter  Store.     They 

breed 


(  41   ) 


breed  once  in  a  Year,  and  have  from  ten  to  fifteen  at  a  Litter, 
which  grow  up  in  one  Seafon  ;  fo  that  they  multiply  very  faft,  and 
if  they  can  empty  a  Pond,  and  take  the  whole  Lodge,  they  gene- 
rally leave  a  Pair  to  breed,  fo  that  they  are  fully  flocked  again  in 
two  or  three  Years. 

The  Loup  Cervier,  or  Lynx,  is  of  the  Cat  Kind,  but  as  large  as 
a  great  Dog  ;  it  preys  upon  all  Beafts  it  can  conquer,  as  does  the 
Tyger,  which  is  the  only  Beaft  in  that  Country  that  v/on't  fly 
from  a  Man. 

The  American  Oxen,  or  Beeves,  have  a  large  Bunch  upon  their 
Backs,  which  is  by  far  the  mofl  delicious  Part  of  them  for  Food, 
it  being  all  as  fweet  as  Marrow,  juicy  and  rich,  and  weighs  feveral 
Pounds. 

The  Indians  Weft  of  the  Bay,  living  an  erratick  Life,  can  have 
no  Benefit  by  tame  Fowl  or  Cattle  ;  they  feldom  ftay  above  a  Fort- 
night in  a  Place,    unlefs  they  find  Plenty  of  Game.     When  they 
remove,    after  having  built  their  Hut,    they  difperfe  to  get  Game 
for  their  Food,  and  meet  again  at  Night,  after  having  killed  enough 
to  maintain  them  for  that  Day ;    they  don't  go  above  a  League  or 
two  from  their  Hut.     When  they  find  vScarcity  of  Game,  they  re- 
move a  League  or  two  farther,    and  thus  they  traverle  through 
thefe  woody  Countries  and  Bogs,    fcarce  miffing  one  Day,   Winter 
or  Summer,  fiir  or  foul,  in  the  greateft  Storms  of  Snow,  but  what 
they  are  employed  in  fome  kind  of  Chace.     The  fmaller  Game, 
got  by  Traps  or  Snares,  are  generally  the  Employment  of  the  Wo- 
men and  Children,    fuch  as  the  Martins,   Squirrels,  Cats,  Ermins, 
&c.     The  Elks,    Stags,  Rain-Deer,  Bears,  Tygers,  wild  Beeves, 
Wolves,  Foxes,  Beavers,  Otters,  Corcajeu,  ^c.  are  the  Employ- 
ment of  the  Men.     The  Indians^    when  they  kill  any  Game  for 
Food,    leave  it  where  they  kill  it,  and  fend  their  Wives  next  Day 
to  carry  it  home.      They  go  home  in  a  diredl  Line,  never  miffing 
their  Way,    by  Obfervations  they  make  of  the  Courfe  they  take 
upon  their  going   out,    and  fo  judge  upon  what  Point  tlieir  Huts 
are,  and  can  thus  direct  themfelves  upon  any  Point  of  the  Compafs. 
The  Trees  all  bend  towards  the  South,    and  the  Branches  on  that 
Side  are  larger  and  ftronger  than  on  the  North  Side,    as  alfo  the 
Mofs  upon  the  Trees.     To  let  their  Wives  know  how  to  come  at 
the  killed  Ganie,  they  firom  Place  to  Place  break  oif  Branches  '■^'^'^'^ 

G  lay 


lay  them  in  the  Road,  pointing  them  the  Way  they  iLould  go,  and 
fometimes  Mols,  fo  that  they  never  mils  finding  it. 

In  Winter,  when  they  go  abroad,  which  they  muft  do  in  all 
Weathers,  to  hunt  and  ihoot  for  their  daily  Food,  before  they 
drefs  they  rub  themfelves  all  over .  with  Bears  Greafe,  or  Oil  of 
Beavers,  which  does  not  freeze,  and  alfo  rub  all  the  Fur  of  their 
Beaver  Coats,  and  then  put  them  on  ;  they  have  alfo  a  kind  of 
Boots  or  Stockings  of  Beavers  Skin  well  oiled,  with  the  Fur  in- 
wards,and  above  them  they  have  an  oiled  Skin  laced  about  their  Feet, 
which  keeps  out  the  Cold,  and  alfo  Water,  when  there  is  no  Ice 
or  Snow ;  and  by  this  Means  they  never  freeze,  nor  fuffer  any 
thing  by  Cold.  In  Summer  alfo,  when  they  go  naked,  they  rub 
themfelves  with  thefe  Oils  or  Greafe,  and  expofe  themfelves  to  the 
Sun,  without  being  fcorched,  their  Skins  always  being  kept  foft  and 
fupple  by  it ;  nor  do  any  Flies,  Bugs,  or  Mufketoes,  or  any  noxi- 
ous Infeft  ever  moleft  them.  When  they  want  to  get  rid  of  it, 
they  go  into  the  Water,  and  rub  themfelves  all  over  with  Mud  or 
Clay,  and  lets  it  dry  upon  them,  and  then  rub  it  off;  but  whene- 
ver they  are  free  from  the  Oil,  the  Flies  and  Mufketoes  immediately 
attack  them,  and  oblige  them  again  to  anoint  themfelves. 

The  Indians  make  no  Ufe  of  Honey;  he  faw  no  Bees  there 
but  the  wild  humble  Bee  ;  but  they  are  fo  much  afraid  of  being 
flung  with  them,  they  going  naked  in  Summer,  that  they  avoid 
them  as  much  as  they  can  ;  nor  did  he  fee  any  of  the  Maple  they 
ufe  in  Canada  to  make  Sugar  of,  but  only  the  Birch,  whofe  Juice 
they  ufe  for  the  fame  Purpofe,  boyling  it  until  it  is  black  and  dry, 
and  then  ufing  it  with  their  Meat.  Tliey  ufe  no  Milk  from  the 
Time  they  are  weaned,  and  they  all  hate  to  tafte  Cheefe,  having 
taken  up  an  Opinion  that  it  is  made  of  dead  Mens  Fat.  They 
love  Pruins  and  Raifins,  and  will  give  a  Beaver  Skin  for  twelve  of 
them  to  carry  to  their  Children,  and  alfo  for  a  Trump  or  Jew'^ 
Harp.  He  fays  the  Women  have  all  fine  Voices,  but  have  never 
heard  any  mufical  Inftrument.  They  are  very  fond  of  all  kind  of 
Pictures  or  Prints,  giving  a  Beaver  for  the  leafl  Print,  and  all  Toys 
are  like  Jewels  to  them. 

When  he  got  to  the  Natives  Southward  of  Pachegola,  he  had 
about  30  Cowries  left,  and  a  few  fmall  Bells  lefs  than  Hawks 
Bells  ;  when  he  fliewed  one  of  them,  they  gave  him  a  Beaver  Skin 
for  one,  and  they  were  fo  fond,  that  fome  gave  him  two  Skins,  or 

three 


(43) 

tJiree  Martin  Skins  for  one,  to  give  their  Wives  to  make  them 
fine.  The  Martins  they  take  in  Traps,  for  if  they  (hot  them, 
their  Skins  would  be  Ipoiled  ;  they  have  generally  five  or  fix  at  a 
Litter. 

He  fays  the  Natives  are  fo  difcouraged  in  their  Trade  witli  the 
Compaiiy,  that  no  Peltry  is  worth  the  Carriage,  and  the  finefl  Furs 
are  fold  for  very  little.  When  they  came  to  the  Fadlory  in  Juf/e 
1742,  the  Prices  they  took  for  the  European  Goods  were  mucJi 
higher  than  the  fettled  Prices  fixed  by  the  Company,  v/hicli  tlie 
Governors  fix  fo,  to  fliew  the  Company  how  zealous  they  are  to 
improve  their  Trade,  and  fell  their  Goods  to  Advantage.  He  fays 
they  gave  but  a  Pound  of  Gunpowder  for  4  Beavers,  a  Fathom  of 
Tobacco  for  7  Beavers,  a  Pound  of  Shot  for  one,  an  Ell  of  coarfe 
Cloth  for  15,  a  Blanket  for  12,  2  Fifli-hooks,  or  three  Flints,  for 
one,  a  Gun  for  25,  a  Piftol  for  10,  a  common  Hat  with  v/hite 
Lace  7,  an  Ax  4,  a  Bill-hook  i ,  a  Gallon  of  Brandy  4,  a  che- 
quer'd  Shirt  7,  all  which  are  fold  at  a  monftrous  Profit,  even  to 
2000  per  Cent.  Notwithftanding  this  Difcouragement,  the  two 
Fleets  which  went  down  with  him,  and  parted  at  the  great  Fork, 
carried  down  200  Packs  of  100  each,  20000  Beavers;  and  the 
other  Lidians  who  arrived  that  Year,  he  computed  carried  down 
300  Packs  of  200  each,  30000,  in  all  50000  Beavers,  and  above 
9000  Martins. 

The  Furs  there  are  much  more  valuable  than  the  Furs  upon  the 
Canada  Lakes,  fold  at  Neiv-Tork  ;  for  thefe  will  give  five  or  fix 
ShilHngs  per  Pound,  when  the  others  fell  at  three  Shillings  and 
Sixpence.  He  fays,  that  if  a  Fort  was  built  at  the  great  Fork, 
60  Leagues  above  Tork  Fort,  and  a  Fadlory  with  European  Goods 
were  fixed  there,  and  a  reafonable  Price  was  put  upon  European 
Goods,  that  the  Trade  would  be  wonderfully  increafed ;  for  the 
Natives  from  the  Southward  of  Pachegoia,  could  make  at  leaft  two 
Returns  in  a  Summer,  and  thofe  at  greater  Diflances  could  make 
one,  who  can't  now  come  at  all ;  and  above  double  the  Number 
would  be  employed  in  Hunting,  and  many  more  Skins  would  be 
brought  to  Market,  that  they  can't  now  afford  to  bring  for  the 
Expence  and  low  Price  given  for  them.  The  Stream  is  io  gentle 
from  the  Fork  to  Tork  Fort,  on  either  Branch,  that  large  Veficls 
and  Shallops  may  be  built  there,  and  carry  down  bulky  Goods, 
and  alfo  return  again  againfl:  the  Stream;  and  the  Climate  is  good,. 

G  2  and 


(  44  ) 

and  fit  to  produce  Grain,  Pulfe,  ^c.  and  very  good  Grafs  and 
Hay  for  Horfes  and  Cattle  ;  and  if  afterwards  any  Settlements  were 
made  upon  Pachegcia,  and  VefTels  built  to  navigate  that  Lake, 
which  is  not  mere  northerly  than  Lat.  52°.  the  Trade  would  be 
ftill  vailly  more  enlarged  and  improved,  and  fpread  the  Trade  not 
only  up  the  Rivers  and  Lakes  as  far  as  the  Lake  Du  Bois  and  De 
Pints,  but  alfo  among  the  AJJintboiieh  and  Nations  beyond  them, 
and  the  Nation  de  vieiix  Hotnmes,  who  are  200  Leagues 
Weftward  of  Pachegoia.  He  fays  the  Nations  who  go  up  that 
River  with  Prefents  to  confirm  the  Peace  with  them,  are  three 
Months  in  going  up,  and  fay  they  live  beyond  a  Range  of  Moun- 
tains beyond  the  Ajjiniboueh,  and  that  beyond  them  are  Nations 
who  have  not  the  Ufe  of  Fire  Arms,  by  which  Means  many  of 
them  are  made  Slaves  by  them,  and  are  fold  to  the  AJfinibouels^ 
Panis  Blanc,  and  Chrifiinaiix.  He  faw  feveral  of  them,  who  all 
wanted  a  Joynt  of  their  little  Finger,  which  they  faid  was  cut  off 
foon  after  they  were  born,  but  gave  no  Reafon  for  it. 

Whilft  he  was  at  York  Fort  he  got  acquainted  with  an  old  Indi- 
an, who  lived  at  fome  Diftance  from  Nelfon  River,  to  the  Well- 
ward,  being  one  of  thofe  they  call  the  Home  Indians,  who  had, 
about  1 1;  Years  ago,  gone  at  the  Head  of  30  Warriors  to  make 
war  againfl:  the  Attimofpiquais,  Tete  Plat,  or  Plafcotez  de  ChienSy 
a  Nation  living  Northward  on  the  Weflern  Ocean  of  America  j 
he  was  the  only  one  who  returned,  all  the  reft  being  either  killed, 
or  periflied  through  Fatigue  or  want  of  Food,  upon  their  Return. 
When  they  went  they  carried  their  whole  Families  with  them, 
and  hunted  and  fifhed  from  Place  to  Place  for  two  Winters,  and 
one  Summer,  having  left  their  Country  in  Autunm,  and  in  April 
following,  came  to  the  Sea-fide,  on  the  Weflern  Coafl,  where 
they  immediately  made  their  Canoes.  At  fome  little  Diftance  they 
faw  an  Ifland,  which  was  about  a  League  and  a  Half  long  when 
the  Tide  was  out,  or  Water  fell,  they  had  no  Water  betwixt 
them  and  the  Ifland,  but  when  it  rofe,  it  covered  all  tRe  Paflage 
betwixt  them  and  the  Ifland  as  high  up  as  the  Woods  upon  the 
Shore.  There  they  left  their  Wives  and  Children,  and  old  Men 
to  condudl  them  home,  and  provide  them  with  Provifions,  by 
hunting  and  fhooting  for  them  upon  the  Road  ;  and  he,  with  30 
"Warriors,  went  in  queft  of  their  Enemies  the  Tete  Plat.  After 
they  parted  with  their  Families,  they  came  to  a  Streight,  which  they 
I  paflTed 


(  45  ) 

pafled  in  their  Canoes.  The  Sea  Coafl  lay  ahiiofi  Eafl  and  Weil:, 
for  he  faid  the  Sun  rofe  upon  his -Right-hand,  and  at  Noon  it  was 
almoft  behind  him,  as  he  paffed  the  Streight,  and  always  fet  in 
the  Sea.  After  paffing  the  Streight  they  coafted  along  the  Shore 
for  three  Months,  going  into  the  Country  and  Woods  as  they  went 
along  to  hunt  for  Provilions.  He  faid  they  faw  a  great  many  large 
black  Fiih  fpouting  up  Water  in  the  Sea.  After  they  had  thus 
coafted  for  near  three  Months,  they  faw  the  Footfteps  of  fome 
Men  on  the  Sand,  by  which  they  judged  they  were  not  far  from 
their  Enemies,  upon  which  they  quit  their  Canoes,  and  went  five 
Days  through  the  Woods  and  Bufhes,  which  were  but  very  low 
and  flirubby,  and  fo  clofe,  they  could  with  Difficulty  make  way 
through  it,  and  then  came  to  the  Banks  of  a  River,  where  they 
found  a  large  Town  of  their  Enemies,  and  after  making  their  ufual 
Cry,  they  difcharged  their  Arrows  and  Guns  againft  thofe  who  ap- 
peared, upon  which  they  fled  ;  but  upon  finding  how  few  they 
were,  they  returned  and  killed  1 5  of  them,  and  wounded  3  or  4 
more,  upon  which  they  fled  to  the  Woods,  and  from  thence  made 
their  Efcape  to  their  Canoes  before  their  Enemies  overtook  them, 
and  after  a  great  deal  of  Fatigue  got  to  the  Streight,  and  after  get- 
ting over,  they  all  died  one  after  another,  except  this  old  Man,  of 
Fatigue  and  Famine,  leaving  him  alone  to  travel  to  his  own  Coun- 
try, which  took  him  up  about  a  Year's  Time,  having  left  his 
Gun  when  his  Ammunition  was  Ipent,  and  loft  all  his  Arrows, 
and  upon  his  Return  had  not  even  a  Knife  with  him  ;  fo  that  he 
was  reduced  to  live  upon  Herbs  and  the  Mofs  growing  upon  the 
Rocks,  and  was  almoft  famifhed  when  he  reached  the  River  Saki'e, 
Vv'here  he  met  his  Friends  again,  who  relieved  him,  when  he  de- 
fpaired  of  ever  again  feeing  his  own  Country.  This  is  the  Ac- 
count, fo  far  as  "Jofeph  la  France  could  inform  me,  of  thofe  Coun- 
tries Southward  of  Tork  Fort,  which  may  be  brought  to  trade 
there. 

Mr.  Froft,  who  has  been  many  Years  employed  by  the  Compa- 
ny in  the  Bay,  both  at  Churchill  and  Moofe  River  Fad:ory,  who 
was  their  Interpreter  with  the  Natives,  and  travelled  a  confiderablc 
Way  into  the  Country,  both  North-weftward  of  Churchill,  and 
Southward  of  Moofe  River  Fad:ory,  and  has  refided  at  Moofe  River 
fince  the  Fa<3:ory  was  made  there  in  1730,  gives  a  very  good  Ac- 
count of  the  Climate  and  Country  there,  and  up  the  River  South- 
ward 


■    (  46  ) 

ward  of  it.  He  fays  the  Fadory  is  built  near  the  Mouth  of  the 
River,  in  Lat,  51°.  28'.  upon  a  navigable  River,  which  at  12  Miles 
Diltance  Southward  of  the  Fort,  is  divided  into  two  Branches,  one 
comes  from. the  Southward,  the  other  from  the  South-weft  ;  upon 
the  Southern  Branch  all  Sorts  of  Grain  thrives,  as  Barley,  Beans 
and  Peafe  do  at  the  Fadlory,  tho'  expofed  to  all  the  chilling 
Winds  which  comes  from  the  Ice  in  the  Bay.  Upon  the  Southern 
Branch  above  the  Falls,  there  grows  naturally  along  the  River  the. 
fame  Kind  of  wild  Oats  Or  Rice,  mentioned  already  upon  the  Lake 
of  Siens,  the  Huik  being  black,  but  the  Grain  within  perfedly 
white  and  clear  like  Rice,  the  Indians  beating  it  off  into  their  Ca- 
noes when  ripe,  as  they  pafs  along  the  River,  it  growing  in  the 
Water  like  Rice.  In  their  Woods,  at  the  Bottom  of  the  Bay  at 
Moofe  and  Albany^  as  well  as  at  Rupert's  Kwcv^  are  very  large 
Timber  Trees  of  all  Kinds,  Oak,  Afli,  &c.  as  well  as  Pine,  Ce- 
dar and  Spruce  ;  they  have  exceeding  good  Grafs  to  make  Hay, 
which  improves  every  Day  as  they  cut  and  feed  it,  and  may  have 
every  where  within  Land  all  Sorts  of  Pulfe  and  Grain,  and  all  Sorts 
of  Fruit  Trees  as  in  the  fame  Climates  in  Europe^  for  what  Sorts 
they  have  tried  thrive  very  well ;  the  Ice  breaks  up  at  Moofe  Fadlo- 
ry in  the  Beginning  of  April,  but  higher  up  in  the  Country  in 
March;  it  is  navigable  for  Canoes  a  great  Way  up  among  the 
Falls  ;  at  a  confiderable  Diftance  there  is  one  Fall  of  50  Feet,  but 
above  that  it  is  deep  and  navigable  for  a  great  Way.  The  Climate 
above  the  Fall  is  very  good,  and  the  River  abounds  with  that 
wild  Rice,  The  French  have  got  a  Houfe  or  Settlement  for  Trade 
near  the  Southern  Branch,  about  100  Miles  above  the  Fadlory, 
where  they  fell  their  Goods  cheaper  than  the  Company  do,  altho' 
it  be  fo  difficult  to  carry  them  fo  far  from  Canada,  and  very  ex- 
penlive,  and  give  as  much  for  a  Martin's  Skin  as  they  do  for  a 
Beaver,  when  we  infift  upon  three  for  one  ;  fo  that  the  French 
get  all  the  choice  Skins,  and  leave  only  the  Refufe  for  the  Com- 
pany. The  French  have  alfo  got  another  Houfe  pretty  high  "up 
upon  Rupert  River,  by  which  they  have  gained  all  the  Trade  up- 
on the  Eaft  Main,  except  a  little  the  Company  get  at  Shide  River. 
He  fays,  upon  the  South  Side  of  the  great  Inland  Sea  upon  the 
Eaft  Main,  v/hich  has  lately  been  difcovered,  there  is  an  exceed- 
ing rich  Lead  Mine,  from  which  the  Natives  have  brought  very- 
good  Ore,  which  might  turn  out  to  great  Advantage,  as  well  as 
I  the 


(47) 

"the  Furs  upon  that  Coaft,  which  might  be  vaftly  increafed,  if  the 
Trade  was  laid  open  and  Settlements  made  in  proper  Places.  He 
lays  when  he  was  at  Churchill,  he  travelled  a  confiderable  Way 
in  the  Country  North-weftward  of  the  River  of  Seals ;  that  near 
the  Rivers  and  Sea-coaft,  there  was  fmall  fhrubby  Woods,  but  for 
many  Miles,  at  leaft  60  farther  into  the  Country,  they  had  no- 
thing but  a  barren  white  Mofs  upon  which  the  Rain-Deer  feed, 
and  alfo  the  Moofe,  Buffixlos,  and  other  Deer  j  and  the  Natives  told 
him,  further  Weftward  beyond  that  barren  Country,  tliere  were 
large  Woods.  He  was  acquainted,  when  there  about  fifteen  Years 
ago,  with  an  Indiaji  Chief,  who  traded  at  Churchill,  who  had  been 
often  at  a  fine  Copper  Mine,  which  they  ftruck  off  fi-om  the 
Rocks  with  fharp  Stones  j  he  faid  it  was  upon  Iflands  at  the 
Mouth  of  a  River,  and  lay  to  the  Northward  of  that  Countrv 
where  they  had  no  Night  in  Summer, 

As  to  the  Trade  at  Churchill  it  is  increafing,  it  being  at  too 
great  a  Diflance  from  the  French  for  them  to  interfere  in  the 
Trade.  The  Year  1742  it  amounted  to  20,000  Beavers  :  There 
were  about  100  Upland  Indians  came  in  their  Canoes  to  trade, 
and  about  200  Northern  Indians,  who  brought  their  Furs  and 
Peltry  upon  Sledges  ;  fome  of  them  came  down  the  River  of  Seals, 
1 5  Leagues  Northward  of  C6^irrr,6z7/,  in  Canoes,  and  brought  their 
Furs  from  thence  by  Land,  They  have  no  Beavers  to  Northward 
of  Churchill,  they  not  having  there  fuch  Ponds  or  Woods  as  they 
choofe  or  feed  upon,  but  they  have  great  Numbers  of  Martins, 
Foxes,  Bears,  Rain-Deer,  Buffalos,  Wolves,  and  other  Beafis  of 
rich  Furs,  the  Country  being  moftly  rocky,  and  covered  with  a 
white  Mofs  upon  which  the  Rain-Deer  or  Cariboux  feed.  There 
is  a  great  deal  of  fmall  Wood  of  the  Spruce  or  Fir  Kind  near  the 
old  Fadlory,  but  the  Wood  improves  as  it  is  further  up  the  River 
from  the  Bay,  where  they  have  Juniper,  Birch  and  Poplar,  and 
more  Southerly  the  Timber  is  larger,  and  there  are  greater  Va- 
riety of  Trees.  They  are  under  great  Inconveniencies  at  the  new 
Fort,  which  is  upon  an  elevated  Situation  upon  a  Rock  without 
Shelter,  clofe  by  the  Shore,  furrounded  with  Snow  and  Ice  for 
eight  Months  in  the  Year,  expofed  to  all  the  Winds  and  Storms 
that  happen,  where  they  can  have  no  Conveniency  of  Grafs  or 
Hay  or  Gardening,  and  yet  they  had  four  or  five  Horfes  there, 
and  a  Bull  and  two  Covins  near  the  Fadlory  ;  but  they  were  obliged 

to 


(48  ) 


to  bring  their  Hay  from  a  marfliy  Bottom  fome  Miles  up  the  Ri- 
ver, to  feed  them  in  Winter  ;  but  if  a  Settlement  v/ere  made 
liigher  up  the  River  Southward,  fome  Leagues  from  the  Bay,  in 
Shelter  without  the  Reach  of  the  chilling  Winds,  they  would 
have  Grafs  and  Hay  fufficient,  and  might  have  alfo  Gardens  and 
proper  Greens  and  Roots  propagated  there. 

They  fay  there  is  a  Communication  betwixt  that  River  and  Nel- 
fon  River  at  a  great  Diflance  within  Land,  or  a  very  fliort  Land 
Carriage  betwixt  them  ;  for  the  Indians  who  trade  here,  tell  them 
each  Seafon  what  Chiefs,  with  their  Followers,  go  down  that 
Year  to  Nelfon  or  Albany  Rivers. 

The  Company  avoid  all  they  can  making  Difcoveries  to  North- 
ward of  Churchill,  or  extending  their  Trade  that  Way,  for  fear 
they  fhould  difcover  a  PafHige  to  the  Weflern  Ocean  of  America, 
and  tempt,  by  that  Means,  the  reft  of  the  E?iglijh  Merchants  to 
lay  open  their  Trade,  which  they  know  they  have  no  legal  Right 
to,  which,  if  the  PafTage  was  found,  would  not  only  animate  the 
reft  of  the  Merchants  to  purfue  the  Trade  through  that  PafTage, 
but  alfo  to  find  out  the  great  Advantages  that  might  be  made  of 
tlie  Trade  of  the  Rivers  and  Countries  adjoining  to  the  Bay,  by 
which  Means  they  would  lofe  their  beloved  Monopoly  ;  but  the 
Prolpetl  they  have  of  Gain  to  be  made  with  trading  with  the 
Ejkimaux  Indians,  for  Whale-Fin,  Whale  and  Seal  Oil,  and  Sea- 
liorfe  Teeth,  induces  them  to  venture  a  Sloop  annually  as  far 
62°.  30'.  to  Whale  Cove,  where  thefe  Indians  meet  them,  and  truck 
their  Fin  and  Oil  with  them  :  But  tho'  they  are  fully  informed  of 
a  fine  Copper  Mine  on  a  navigable  Arm  of  the  Sea  North-weftward 
-of  Whale  Ccve,  and  the  Indians  have  offered  to  carry  their  Sloops 
to  it,  yet  their  Fear  of  difcovering  the  Paftage  puts  Bounds  to  their 
Avarice,  and  prevents  their  going  to  the  Mine,  which  by  all  Ac- 
counts is  very  rich  ;  yet  thofe  who  have  been  at  Whale  Cove  own, 
that  from  thence  Northwards  is  all  broken  Land,  and  that  after 
pafling  fome  Iflands,  they  from  the  Hills  fee  the  Sea  open,  lead- 
ing to  the  Weftward  ;  and  the  Lidians  who  have  been  often  at 
the  Mine  fay,  it  is  upon  a  navigable  Arm  of  the  Sea  of  great  Depth, 
leading  to  the  South- weft,  where  are  great  Numbers  of  large  black 
Filh  fpouting  Water,  which  confirms  the  Opinion,  that  all  the 
Whales  feen  betwixt  Whale  Cove  and  Wager  River,  all  come  there 
from  the  Weftern  Ocean,  fince  none  are  feen  any  where  elfe  in 

Hudfoji'^ 


(  49  ) 

Hudfon's  Bay  or  Strait.  All  along  this  Coafl  from  Lat.  62°.  to 
65°.  a  very  beneficial  Fifliery  of  Whales  may  be  carried  on  with 
thefe  Ejkimaux  Indians,  who  even  without  the  Ufe  of  Iron,  can 
harpoon  and  kill  Whales,  and  if  they  were  fuppiied  with  Iron 
Harpoons,  and  with  proper  Cordage,  might  be  brought  to  kill 
great  Numbers  of  them  ;  at  prefentall  their  Nets,  Lines  and  Snares 
are  made  of  Whale-bone,  and  moil  of  their  Boats  and  other  Ne- 
ceflaries  of  that.  Seal  Skins,  Fifh  Bones,  and  Sea-Horfe  Teeth, 
and  in  making  all  Things  neceflary  for  them  they  are  very  neat 
and  ingenious. 

From  thefe  feveral  Journals,  and  from  the  Accounts  taken  from 
Monfieur  Jeremie  and  De  la  Poterie,  and  from  Jofeph   la  France. 
and  Mr.  Frofl,  we  may  frame  a  tolerable   Judgment  of  the  Cli- 
mate, Soil,  Rivers,  and  Lakes  adjoining  to  the  Bay,  and  the  great 
Advantage  to  be  made  by  improving  our  Trade  there,  by  making 
Fadlories  or  Settlements  upon  feveral  of  thefe  fine  Rivers  and  In- 
land Lakes  ;  for  tho'  the  Names,  Situation  and  Distances  of  thefe 
Lakes  are  not  the  fame,  being  taken  from  /W/^^^  perhaps  of  dif- 
ferent Nations  and  Languages,  and  by  People  who   had  no  Op- 
portunity, or  perhaps  were  not  capable  of  fixing  the  proper  Lati- 
tudes or  Longitudes  of  thefe  Lakes,  yet  they  all  concur  that  there 
are  many  noble  and  great  Rivers  and  Lakes  extending  to  the  South- 
ward, South- weflward,  and  Wcftward  of  the  Bay,  in  fine  Coun- 
tries and  temperate  Climates,  the  Lands  and  Countries  being  ca- 
pable of  great  Improvement,  and  to  afford  a  Trade  of  great  Ex- 
tent, and  in  Time,  of  an  immenfe  Profit.     I  fhall  therefore,  from 
thefe  Accounts  make  fome  Obfervations  upon  the  Climate,    Soil 
and  Improvements  which  may  be  made  by   Trade  in  the  feveral 
Parts  of  the  Bay  already  known,  and  then  fliew  the  Probability  of 
extending  it  by  a  new  Pafi!age  to  the  Weftern  Countries  of  Ame- 
rica, and  through  that  great  Weftern  Ocean. 

The  Soil  and  Climates  are  vaftly  different  in  the  feveral  Coun- 
tries adjoining  to  the  Bay.  The  Eaft  Main,  from  Slide  River  to 
Hudjhi's  Streight,  is  leaft  known,  there  being  no  Fadlories  fixed 
there  for  Trade,  altho'  the  bed:  Sable  and  black  Fox  Skins  are  o-ot 
there.  Here  the  Nodway  or  Ejkifnaux  Indians  live,  who  are  in  a 
manner  hunted  and  deftroyed  by  the  more  Southerly  Indians,  be- 
ing perpetually  at  war  with  each  other.  They  feem  not  to  be  Na- 
tives of  America^     but  rather  Europeans  from  Greenland.     The 

H  French 


(  so  ) 


French  imagine  they  are  defcended  from  Bifcayners,  they  having 
Beards  up  to  the  Eyes,  which  the  Americaiis\\i\.vt  not;  they  are  of 
a  white  Complexion,  not  Copper  coloured  like  the  other  Ameri- 
cans^ having  black,  ftrong  Hair.  They  live  in  Caves  under  the 
Snow  in  Winter,  feeding  upon  Seals  Flefli  and  dried  Fifli,  drink- 
ing the  Oil,  and  ufing  it  for  their  Lamps,  with  which  they  alfo 
greafe  their  Bodies,  which  defends  them  from  the  piercing  icy  Par- 
ticles in  the  Air,  If  when  travelling  a  Storm  of  Snow  is  too  vio- 
lent for  them  to  withftand,  they  dig  a  Hole  in  the  Snow  five  or  fix 
Feet  deep,  and  cover  the  Hole  with  Skins  or  Branches,  and  fo  lie 
warm  under  the  Storm.  Upon  this  Coaft,  in  Lat.  59°.  near  Cape 
Smith,  is  a  Paflage  lately  difcovered  into  an  inland  Sea,  300 
I-^eagues  in  Circuit,  which,  if  a  proper  Ufe  was  made  of  it,  would 
open  a  confiderable  Trade  for  Furs  into  the  Heart  of  the  Terra  de 
Labarador,  which  the  Company  now  negledts  for  fear  of  Expence, 
as  they  do  all  the  Coaft  on  the  Eaft  Main,  having  only  a  Houfe, 
with  feven  or  eight  Servants,  at  Slude  River,  in  Lat.  i;2°.  30'.  It  is 
near  the  South  Side  of  this  Sea  that  the  rich  Lead  Mine  has  been 
lately  difcovered,  which  would  alfo  turn  to  very  good  Account,  if 
a  Settlement  was  there  in  about  Lat,  56°,  or  57°.  it  would  be  in  as 
good  a  Climate  as  at  Tork  Fort  or  New  Severn,  which  is  in  a  Cli- 
mate equal  to  the  middle  Part  of  Swede?!  or  Livo?iia,  being  in  the 
Latitude  of  Edinburgh  ;  and  if  one  was  made  in  59°.  near  Cape 
Smith,  it  would  be  equal  to  that  now  at  Churchill. 

Rupert  River,  in  about  Lat.  51°.  is  in  a  very  good  Climate,  and 
is  a  fine  River,  well  wooded,  having  eight  Feet  Water  at  the  En- 
trance, and  the  Tide  rifes  eight  Feet ;  the  River  is  a  Mile  over,  and 
cometh  from  the  Southward  of  the  Eaft ;  it  is  about  1 50  Leagues 
from  St.  Margaret's  River,  which  filleth  into  St.  Laurence  in  Ca- 
nada. A  little  to  Southward  of  Rupert's  is  Frenchman's  and  Nod- 
way  Rivers  ;  thefe  run  from  S.  E.  and  S.  S.  E.  fi-om  Sources  a  great 
Way  up  in  the  Country ;  the  laft  is  5  Miles  broad  to  the  Falls, 
Thefe,  tho'  in  fo  good  a  Climate,  are  all  negle6ted  by  the  Com- 
pany, upon  account  of  the  Neighbourhood  of  the  French,  who 
have  encroached  upon  them,  and  have  a  trading  Houfe  upon  the 
Head  of  Rupert's  River,  by  which  they  have  engrolTed  almoft  all 
the  Trade  of  the  Eafl  Main.  To  avoid  Expence  they  will  not  fix 
a  fufficient  Factory  there  to  recover  fo  great  a  Trade,  nor  will  allow 
any  other  from  Britain  to  fettle  there  and  trade,    choofing  rather 

to 


(51   ) 


to  give  it  up  to  the  French  than  to  tlieir  Countrymen,    that  they 
may  preferve  tlieir  prefent  Monopoly  to  themfelves.    The  Faftories 
at  prefent  on  Moofe  River,  in  Lat.  5  1°.  28'.  and  in  Alban\\  in  Lat. 
52".  on  the  South-weft  of  the  Bay,  are  at  prefent  in  a  very  tolera- 
ble Climate,    being  the  fime   with  thefe  already  mentioned,    but 
would  be  in  a  vaftly  better  Climate,  if  they  ^vere  fixed  fome  Miles 
higher  up,    at  fome  Diftance  from  the  chilling  Winds  in  the  Bay, 
where  it  appears  all  Sorts  of  Grain  and  Pulfe  would  grow  to  Per- 
fedlion,    and  moft  kind  of  Eto'opean  Fruits.     Here  they  may  have 
Horfes,  Cows,  Sheep,  and  all  other  domeftick  Animals,  here  be- 
ing excellent  Grafs,  and  very  good  Hay  may  be  made  of  it,  whicli 
would  improve  by  feeding  and  cutting  it  for  their  Ufe  in  Winter  ; 
and  all  Sorts  of  Grain  may  be  had  for  their  Ufe,  as  well  as  for  the 
Inhabitants,  wild  Oats  or  Rice  growing  in  Abundance  Ipontaneouf- 
ly  farther  up  the  Rivers  to  the  Southward,    at  fome  Diftance  from 
the  Bay.     The  Moofe  River  is  a  noble,  large  River,  which  Com- 
eth from  two  Branches,    Southward  and  South-weftward,  of  the 
Bay,  for  fome  hundred  Miles  from  the  Mountains,  above  the  Hu- 
ron and  Upper  Lakes,  to  near  Lat.  48°.  There  are  feveral  Falls  up- 
on it,  but  above  the  Falls  it  is  again  navigable  a  great  Way  into  the 
Country,  from  whence  the  Natives  come  down  fome  Hundreds  of 
Miles  in  their  Canoes  to  trade  at  the  Fadlory ;  yet,  from  the  Ava- 
rice of  the  Company,    they  have  in  a  manner  left  that  Southern 
Trade  to  the  FreJich,  having  allowed  the  Freticb  to  have  a  trading 
Houfe  upon,  or  near,  the  Southern  Branch  oi  Moofe  River,  within 
three  Days  Journey,  not  100  Miles  from  that  Fa6tory  j   who,  at 
fo  many  hundred  Miles  from  Canada ,  underfell  the  Company,  and 
carry  away  all  the  valuable  Furs,  leaving  only  the  Refufe  to  them, 
becaufe  of  the  exorbitant  Prices  they  take  for  their  Goods  from  the 
Natives  in  Exchange.     l(  the  Trade  was  opened,  and  thefe  Rivers 
on  the  Bottom  of  the  Bay  were  fettled  £u-ther  up  in  the  Country, 
they  would  have  a  very  temperate,  fine  Climate,  with  all  Necefla- 
ries  for  Life,  and  even  for  Luxury.     Here  are  very  fine  Woods  of 
all  Kinds  of  large  Timber  for  Shipping  or  Building,   where  they 
may   have  all  Sorts  of  Fruit  and  Grain,    tame  Cattle  and  Fowl. 
The  Rivers  abound  with  excellent  Fifti,  and  the  Woods  with  Wild- 
fowl, and  moft  kind  of  wild  Beafts  for  Profit  or  Pleafure.    Goofcr 
berries,    Rafpberries  and  Strawberries,    grow  wild  in  the  Woods, 
every  thing  in  Gardens   would   grow   with  proper  Culture.     In 

Ha  the 


(  5^  ) 


the  Country  the  Snow  and  Frofl  breaks  up  hi  March,  and  does  not 
begin  again  until  about  November. 

^bany  River  is  alfo  very  confiderable,  in  Lat.  52°.  and  cometh 
from  W.  S.  W.  and  within  Land  has  the  fame  CUmate  and  other 
Advantages  ;  at  prefent  the  Situation  of  the  Faftories  of  Moofe  and 
Albany  are  very  unhappy,  being  placed  in  the  Swamps,  at  the 
Mouth.s  of  the  Rivers  j  for  the  Company's  chief  Aim  being  Trade, 
they  don't  regard  the  Soil,  Afped:  or  Situation,  where  they  fix 
them,  provided  they  are  upon  navigable  Rivers  where  their  Ships 
can  approach  them,  and  where  the  Natives  can  come  in  their  Ca- 
noes ;  fo  that  their  Fadlories  there,  are  placed  in  a  low  fwampy 
Ground,  which  is  overflowed  by  the  Rivers  upon  the  breaking  up 
of  the  Ice,  which  makes  them  much  moifter  and  warmer  in  Sum- 
mer, and  colder  in  Winter,  from  the  Quantity  of  Ice  there  is  in 
Winter  in  the  Rivers  and  Bay  :  If  they  had  fixed  them  higher 
up  in  the  Country,  where  the  Thaw  begins  much  fooner  than  at 
the  Bay,  they  would  have  had  a  happier  Situation,  and  a  quite 
different  Climate  and  Soil.  How  can  it  be  expected  that  any 
Thing  can  thrive  in  their  Garden,  or  be  brought  to  Ferfedlion  ? 
when  the  Floods  in  the  latter  End  of  ^nV  leave  Flakes  of  Ice  fe- 
veral  Feet  thick  in  their  Gardens,  which  are  not  difTolved  until 
the  latter  End  of  May  ;  and  yet  after  that  Time,  when  they  dig 
their  Gardens,  they  have  very  good  Coleworts  and  Turnips,  green 
Peafe  and  Beans,  when  if  they  had  been  fituated  higher  up  in  the 
Country  from  the  Bay,  they  might  have  had  all  Sorts  of  Fruit, 
Grain  and  Roots  in  Perfeftion,  and  tame  Cattle  and  Fowl  for  their 
Ufe  ;  at  prefent  the  Company's  Servants  depend  upon  the  Fifh  and 
wild  Geefe  they  take  for  their  Winter  Store.  They  have  Pike, 
Trout,  Perch,  and  white  Trout  in  great  Perfedion  in  all  their  Ri- 
vers; but  the  principal  Fifli  they  take  is  a  little  larger  than  a 
Mackarel,  of  which  13  or  14000  are  taken  at  Albany  in  a  Seafon^ 
which  fupplies  them  and  their  Indian  Friends  in  Winter ;  thefe 
they  take  after  the  Rivers  are  frozen  over,  keeping  Holes  open  in 
the  Ice,  in  a  flreight  Line  at  proper  Diflances,  through  which 
they  thruft  their  Nets  with  Poles,  and  the  Fifh  coming  there  to 
breathe,  are  mafk'd  or  entangled  in  the  Net ;  thefe  they  freeze 
up  for  Winter  v/ithout  Salt.  The  wild  Geefe  come  to  thefe  Ri- 
vers from  the  Southward  in  the  Middle  of  April,  as  foon  as  the 
Swamps  are  thawed,  at  which  Time  they  are  lean  j  they  ftay 
I  until 


(  53  ) 


until  the  Middle  of  May,  when  they  go  Northward  to  breed  * 
they  take  -aX  Albany  in  that  Seafon  about  1300  for  prefent  Ufe  ; 
they  return  again  with  their  young  about  the  Middle  of  Augiiji, 
and  ftay  until  the  Middle  of  OSlober,  when  they  go  farther  South- 
ward ;  they  fave  generally  about  3000  ofthefe,  which  they  fait 
before  the  Froll:  begins,  and  what  they  take  afterwards  they  hang 
up  in  their  Feathers  to  freeze  for  Winter  Store,  without  Salt  j 
the  Natives  flioot  them  in  the  Sv/amps.  There  are  three  Kinds, 
one  a  grey  Goofe,  which  without  Giblets  weighs  from  6  to  10 
Pounds,  another  which  they  call  Whaweys,  are  from  4  to  6  Pounds  j 
they  have  alfo  Swans,  grey  Plover  exceeding  fat,  white  Partridges 
as  big  as  Capons,  in  Abundance  all  Winter  and  Spring,  which 
feed  upon  the  Buds  of  Spruce,  Birch  and  Poplars. 

The  New  Severn  River,  which  the  French  call  St.  Huiles,  is  in 
Lat.  56".  this  the  Company  negledts,  to  avoid  Expence,  tho'  it  be 
a  very  fine  River,  well  wooded,  capable  of  receiving  Ships  of 
50  or  60  Tons  Burthen,  and  full  of  Beavers  and  other  wild  Beads 
of  rich  Furs  ;  for  they  being  too  far  off  the  French,  they  oblige 
them  to  come  to  Albany  or  Tork  Fort,  with  their  Furs.  The  Ri- 
ver Bourbon  or  Nelfon,  upon  whofe  South-eaflern  Branch  is  l^ork 
Fort  in  Hafs  Ifland  in  Lat.  57°.  is  one  of  the  nobleft  Rivers  in 
America,  and  by  much  the  finefh  and  largcfl  in  the  Bay,  and  tho' 
the  Names  given  to  the  feveral  Lakes  and  Rivers  which  enter 
into  thefe  Lakes,  which  are  upon  it,  betwixt  its  Source  on  the 
South-wefl  Side  of  the  Upper  Lake,  and  York  Fort  are  different, 
according  to  the  Accounts  given  by  yeremie,  De  la  Poterie,  and 
Jofepb  la  France,  yet  they  all  agree  in  this,  that  there  are  a  great 
Number  of  very  large  Lakes  upon  it,  at  great  Diflances  within 
Land,  South-wefteriy  and  Weflerly  from  the  Bay,  in  fine  Cli- 
mates and  fruitflil  Countries,  among  many  populous  erratick  Nati- 
ons, fuch  as  the  Ajjiniboiiels,  Chrijlinatix,  Savaiina,  Monfoni,  Vieux 
Hommes,  Tete  Plat,  Panis  Bla?2C,  Sturgeon  Lidians,  &c.  which 
abound  with  all  Sorts  of  excellent  Fi£h,  and  are  navigable  for  many 
hundred  Leagues,  tho'  the  Rivers  which  fall  into  them  have  feve- 
ral Sharps  and  Falls,  which  occafions  feveral  Land  Carriages,  yet 
Canoes  pafs  and  repafs  all  thefe  Lakes  and  Rivers  from  its  Source  to 
Tork  Fort,  the  Natives  coming  down  for  above  a  thoufand  Miles 
to  trade  there. 

Th? 


(  54) 


The  Climate  at  Tork  Fort,  tho'  in  Lat.  e^y".  feems  not  to  be 
colder  than  at  u^ba?iy  in  52°.  fince,  if  the  Account  taken  from  But- 
ton be  true,  the  Ice  broke  up  there  in  that  River  on  the  26th  of 
jipril^  and  the  River,  tho'  not  above  a  Mile  broad,  was  not  that 
Year  frozen  over  the  1 6th  of  February,  when  at  Alhajiy  it  was 
frozen  over  in  the  Beginning  of  November,  and  it  did  not  break 
up  at  the  Faftory  until  the  Beginning  of  May  ;  this  might  pro- 
bably be  occafioned  by  the  Strength  of  the  Tide  at  Fort  Nelfon, 
which  rofe  fometimes  14  Feet,  when  at  Albany  it  does  not  rife 
4  Feet,  and  the  Waters  of  Ne  If  on  River  run  from  the  Southward, 
from  more  immediately  warm  Climates,  when  that  at  Albany  comes 
from  the  W.  S.  W.  and  all  the  Bottom  of  the  Bay  being  full  of 
Ice,  makes  the  Cold  more  intenfe  and  continue  longer  at  the 
Mouth  of  that  River. 

This  feems  confirmed  from  La  France's  Account,  that  within 
four  or  five  Leagues  of  the  Sea  at  Tork  Fort,  the  Cold  continued, 
and  there  was  Ice  in  the  River  in  June,  when  above  that  they  had 
a  fine  Spring,  all  the  Trees  in  Bloom,  and  very  warm  Weather, 
up  to  the  great  Fork  in  the  Beginning  of  June,  and  in  the  River 
from  thence  to  Pachegoia,  or  the  Lake  of  For  efts,  there  was  a  fine 
Spring  and  Bloom  from  the  Beginning  of  May,  all  the  Lands  about 
that  Lake,  and  to  the  Southwards,  being  free  from  Ice  and  Snow, 
in  the  Beginning  of  April  N.  S.  fo  that  here  is  an  excellent  Soil 
and  Climate  upon  this  River,  a  few  Days  failing  up  the  River, 
even  below  the  great  Fork,  which  is  but  60  Leagues  to  the  South- 
ward, and  the  River  navigable  fo  far  with  large  Shallops  and 
Boats. 

This  River  opens  a  Trade  into  a  Country  of  furprizing  Greatnefs 
through  the  Lakes  Pachegoia,  Coriboux,  Siens,  Great  and  Little 
Ouinipiqiie,  the  Lakes  Du  Bois,  De  Pluis,  and  Red  Lake,  according 
to  La  Frajice,  and  the  Rivers  Vieux  Hommes  and  others  \yhich  enter 
thefe  feveral  Lakes  ;  or  by  the  Lake  of  Forefls,  the  Great  Wafer, 
the  Jundiion  of  the  tisoo  Seas,  Tacamiouan  and  others,  according  to 
Jeremie,  abounding  with  all  Kinds  of  Game,  Fifli,  and  Beafts  of 
rich  Furs,  in  excellent  Climates,  abounding  with  Timber  Trees 
of  all  Sorts,  and  wild  Fruit,  and  capable  of  all  other  Kinds  of 
Fruit  and  Grain  upon  Cultivation.  What  an  immenfe  Trade 
might  be  begun  and  improved  through  thefe  Countries  ?  for  the 
Natives  being  numerous,  and  of  a  humane  Difpofition,  upon  ha- 
2  ving 


(  55  ) 

vlng  an  equitable  Commerce  with  us,  would  foon  be  civilized 
and  become  induftrious.  In  fuch  rich  and  delightful  Climates, 
what  a  Vent  might  be  had  there  for  our  Woollen  and  Iron  Ma- 
nuficlures,  as  well  as  for  others,  may  be  eafily  conceived  ? 

At  prefent  the  Company  have  a  little  wooden  Fort  upon  Hafs 
Ifland  much  decayed,  in  which  they  keep  25  Servants  to  manage 
their  Trade,  from  whence  they  return  annually  about  50000  Bea- 
vers Skins,  or  other  Furs  to  that  Value,  under  all  the  Difadvan- 
tages  the  Indians  trade  with  them  at  prefent.  Northwards  from 
this  in  Lat.  59°.  is  Churchill  River,  where  the  Climate,  at  fome 
Diflance  from  the  Bay,  is  not  worfe  than  at  Stockholm  or  Peters- 
burgh.  This  River  is  navigable  for  150  Leagues;  and  again, 
after  paffing  fome  Mountains,  is  navigable  far  to  the  Weflward, 
to  a  Country  abounding  in  Copper.  This  communicates  with  the 
River  of  Stags^  which  falls  into  the  great  Lakes  upon  Nelfon  Ri- 
ver, infomuch  that  the  South-weftern  and  Weftern  Part  of  the 
Bay,  without  including  the  Southern  or  Eaftern  Sides,  would  in 
fome  Years,  if  fettled  and  improved  by  civilizing  the  Natives,  af- 
ford an  inexhauftible  Fund  for  Trade.  The  prefent  Situation  of 
the  Prince  of  JValcs's  Fort  on  Churchill  River  is  vaftly  cold,  and 
for  that  Reafon  very  inconvenient,  as  are  all  the  other  Factories  in 
the  Bay,  all  the  others  being  fixed  with  a  View  only  to  Profit, 
and  this  alone  for  Profit  and  Strength,  without  any  View  to  other 
Conveniencies,  and  therefore  they  have  fixed  it  upon  an  Eminence 
40  Feet  high,  furrounded  on  all  Sides,  without  any  Shelter,  by  a 
frozen  Sea  and  River,  and  Plains  of  Snow,  expofed  to  all  Storms, 
which  caufes  its  being  colder  than  in  proper  Situations  within  the 
Polar  Circle,  being  vaftly  colder  than  a  few  Leagues  up  the  River 
among  the  Woods,  where  the  Fadlory's  Men  lived  comfortably  in 
Huts  or  Tents  all  the  Winter,  without  any  Complaint  of  Cold 
or  Sicknefs,  hunting,  fhooting  and  fifhing  the  whole  Seafon. 

The  Trade  upon  this  River,  tho'  very  much  fliort  of  that  on 
Nelfon  River,  yet  is  very  much  increafed.  Lafl  Year,  1742,  it 
amounted  to  20000  Beavers,  and  all  the  Amount  of  Moofe,  Jilbany 
and  Slude,  don't  exceed  it,  but  rather  falls  fhort  of  it,  which  is  oc- 
cafioned  by  the  Monopoly,  Avarice  and  Weaknefs,  of  the  Compa- 
ny, they  having  but  25  Men  in  Alban)\  as  many  at  Moofe  River, 
and  7  or  8  at  Slude ^  upon  the  Eaft  Main,  and  have  therefore  fuf- 
fered  the  French  to  encroach  upon  them,  and  to  trade  and  fettle  at 

the 


(  s6  ) 

the  Head  of  Rupert's  River,  and  near  Moofe  River,  within  three 
Days  Journey  of  their  Fadtory,  betraying  the  Englijl:)  Right  to 
that  Part  of  the  Bay,  by  giving  up  the  Poffeffion  to  the  French  by 
their  Weaknefs,  and  have  lofl  the  Trade  there  to  them  by  their 
Avarice,  upon  account  of  the  exorbitant  Gain  they  take  upon  their 
Goods  from  the  Natives  of  near  zooo  per  Cent .  Vvo^l,  taking  a 
Beaver  Skin,  worth  from  eight  to  nine  Shillings  in  England,  for  a 
Quart  of  EngliJJj  Spirits,  mixed  with  a  Third  Water,  which  pro- 
bably may  coft  them  a  Groat ;  they  alfo  in  Exchange  value  three 
Martins  or  Sable  Skins  at  one  Beaver,  when  the  French  give  as 
much  for  a  Martin  as  for  a  Beaver  ;  fo  that  the  Natives  carry  all 
their  befl  Furs  to  the  French,  and  leave  them  the  Refiife  ;  for 
which  Reafon,  and  the  French  giving  them  Goods  at  a  cheaper 
Rate  than  the  Company,  all  the  Eaftcrn  and  Southern  Trade  is  in 
a  manner  loft  to  the  French,  and  a  confiderable  Part  of  the  South- 
weftern  Trade,  they  fcarce  preferving  the  Tirade  at  Tork  Fort  and 
Churchill  River  to  themfelves  j  fo  that  were  the  Trade  laid  open, 
and  the  Southern  and  Weftern  Countries  fettled,  we  might  not  on- 
ly regain  that  Trade  from  the  French,  which  would  probably  in- 
creafe  our  Profit  from  40000  /.  which  the  Company  gain  at  pre- 
fent  upon  their  Trade,  to  1 00000  /.  but  we  might  in  a  ihort  Time 
increafe  it  to  200000  /.  by  fupplying  the  Natives  with  Woollen 
Goods,  Iron  Tools,  Guns,  Powder  and  Shot,  at  reafonable  Rates  ; 
for  by  this  Treatment,  and  fixing  Fadiories  for  Goods  higher  up 
the  Rivers,  upon  Rupert's,  Moofe,  Albany,  and  Nelfon  Rivers  j  by 
having  Markets  nearer  them,  and  cheaper,  the  Number  of  Hunt- 
ers would  increafe,  and  would  bring  four  times  as  many  Furs,  be- 
fides  other  valuable  Skins,  not  worth  the  Carriage  at  prefent,  and 
they  would  make  two  Returns  for  one,  and  many  come  from 
greater  Diftances,  which  don't  now  come  at  all ;  and  we  fhould 
have  all  that  now  perifh  and  rot,  and  they  ufe  at  home,  by  get- 
ting better  and  cheaper  European  Goods  in  Return,  and  a  fhorter 
and  quicker  Carriage  to  Market  j  this  would  make  them  more  in- 
duftrious,  and  would  preferve  the  Lives  of  many  of  them  who 
can't  fubfift  now  without  Fire  Arms  and  Iron  Tools,  having  in  great 
Meafure  loft  the  Ufe  of  Arrows,  and  inftead  of  our  exporting  to 
the  Value  of  2  or  3000  /.  which  is  the  moft  the  Company  exports 
in  one  Seafon,  we  might  export  to  the  Value  of  100000  /.  in  coarfe 
Woollen  and  Iron  Manufadures,  Powder,  Shot,  Spirits,  Tobacco, 

Paint, 


(  57  ) 

Paint,  and  Toys,    which  would  afford  Sublicence  and  Employ- 
ment to  our  induftrious  Poor,    and  yet  the  Merchant  might  gain 
near  Cent,  per  Cent,  upon  his  Trade.     By  increafing  our  Settle- 
ments to  the  Southward,    in  the  Bottom  of  the  Bay,    we  fhould 
by  this  Encouragement  make  all  the  Natives  our  Friends,    by  un- 
derfelling  the  French,  and  fecuring  the  Trade,  and  force  the  French 
out  of  their  Trade  upon  the  Eafl  Main,    and  Countries  North  of 
Huron,  and  the  other  Canada  Lakes,  and  become  fo  powerful ,  as 
not  to  fear  the  French  in  cafe  of  a  War  ;   whereas  at  prefent,  if  a 
War  fliould  commence,  the  Company  in  a  few  Weeks  would  lofe 
all  their  Faftories  in  the  Bottom  of  the  Bay,  and  Tork  Fort,  where 
they  have   but  2^  Men,    would  foon  after  fall  into  their  Hands ; 
for  they  have  none  but  the  Prince  of  Wales's  Fort  at  Churchill  that 
is  in  a  State  of  Defence,    and  even  there  they  keep  but  28  Men  to 
defend  a  Fort  in  which  they  have  40  Guns  mounted.     Such  is  the 
melancholy  Situation  of  our  Factories  and  Trade  in  fo  extended  a 
Country  at  prefent,    from  the  Monopoly  and  Covetoufnefs  of  the 
Company,  who  have  been  in  Poffeffion  of  Part  of  thefe  Countries 
to  the  Southward  from  the  Time  of  their  Charter  In  1670,  above 
70   Years,    and  have  enjoyed  the  reft  uninterrupted  from   171 4 
near  30  Years  ;  yet,  tho'  they  have  had  the  moft  extenfive  Powers 
granted  to  them  that  were  ever  granted  to  any  Company,  the  whole 
Property  and  exclufive  Trade  of  all  thefe  Countries,  and  all  others 
they  fhould  difcover  from  thence  not  poffeffed  by  any  Chriftian 
Power  J    with  a  Power  to  make  War,  raife  Troops,  and  fit  out 
Ships  of  War  to  preferve  their  Poffeffions,    to  induce  them  to  dif- 
cover, plant  and  improve,  thefe  Countries,  and  to  extend  the  Bri- 
tijh  Trade,    by  finding  out  a  PafTage  to  the  Weftern  Ocean  of 
America ;  yet  they  have  been  fo  bafe  to  their  Country,  as  not  only 
to  negledl  it  themfelves,    but  to  prevent  and  difcourage  any  At- 
tenipt  to  find  out  fo  beneficial  a  Pafiage,    and  have  alfo  prevented 
any  Perfons  from  fettling  in  thofe  Countries,    which  would  have 
effeftually  fecured  all  their  Fadf  ories,  and  put  them  out  of  Danger 
of  being  infulted  by  the  French  in  cafe  of  a  War,  and  this  v/ith  a 
View  only  of  keeping  a  Monopoly  and  exclufive  Trade  to  them- 
felves from  the  reft  of  the  Britijh  Merchants,  which  they  liave  no 
Right  to  by  Law,    it  being  only  granted  by  Charter,   without  Aft 
of  Parliament.     But  fuppofing  they  had  a  legal  Right,    they  have 
forfeited  their  Right  by  not  fettling  thefe  Countries,    and  pre- 

I  venting 


(  58  ) 

venting  any  of  his  Majefty's  Subjefts  from  fettling  there  ;  fo  that 
they  have  forfeited  their  Right  to  all  thefe  Countries  except  their 
prefent  Factories,  upon  account  of  their  not  taking  in,  and  fetthng 
upon  thofe  Lands  :  Befides,  they  have  not  only  neglected  to  find 
a  Paffage  to  the  Weftern  Ocean,  but  have  alfo  refufed  to  look  for 
it,  and  have  difcouraged  and  endeavoured  to  feduce  others  from 
finding  it,  by  ofi^ering  Rewards  or  Bribes  to  Captain  Middleton,  who 
was  employed  by  the  Government  to  make  that  Difcovery,  as  he 
informed  me ;  tho'  the  attempting  that  Difcovery  was  the  chief 
Prayer  for  their  Patent,  and  the  principal  Motive  which  induced 
King  Charles  to  grant  them  their  Charter,  which  was  then  given  to 
f  jme  of  the  moft  confiderable  Noblemen,  Gentlemen  and  Mer- 
chants, in  England,  but  now  is  confin'd  to  eight  or  nine  private 
Merchants,  who  have  ingrofled  nine  Tenths  of  the  Company's 
Stock,  and  by  that  Means  are  perpetual  Diredlors  ;  the  fmall  Pro- 
portion of  Stock  which  is  in  other  Hands,  when  fold,  being  pur- 
chafed  by  thofe  who  have  in  a  manner  ingrofled  the  whole,  it  not 
being  allowed  to  go  to  a  publick  Market. 

What  great  Advantages  might  Britain  by  this  time  have  receiv'd, 
had  the  Proprietors  fettled  thefe  Countries  after  the  fame  manner  our 
other  Colonies  are  fettled,  at  a  trifling  Quit-rent,  with  a  Freedom  of 
Trade  to  all  Britijh  SubjeBs  ?  We  fhould,  by  this  time,  have  had 
populous  Settlements,  and  an  extenfive  Trade  in  the  Southern  and 
Weftern  Countries  adjoining  the  Bay,  among  thofe  noble  Rivers 
and  Lakes  which  have  their  Sources  in,  and  run  through  temperate 
and  healthy  Climates,  in  rich  and  fruitful  Countries.  The  Slude, 
or  Petre  River,  in  Lat.  52°.  the  Rivers  Rupert,  Frenchmen's,  and 
Nodway,  at  the  South-weft  Corner  of  the  Bay,  in  Lat.  51°.  which 
_have  their  Courfes  fome  Hundreds  of  Miles  into  the  Country,  even 
to  the  Latitude  of  48°.  or  49".  in  a  Climate  as  good  as  North 
France  and  Germany.  The  Moofe  River,  which  difembogues  in 
Lat.  51°.  28'.  in  the  South-weft  Corner,  and  is  by  two  Branches 
navigable  for  the  moft  part  from  Lat.  48°.  and  49°.  in  the  fame  Cli- 
mate as  the  others,  by  which  the  Indians  defcend  fome  hundred 
Miles  to  the  Fadtory  from  near  the  Upper  Lake,  whence  by  a 
Land  Carriage  they  come  at  a  River  which  falls  into  that  Lake. 

The  River  Albany,  tho'  not  fo  large,  yet  is  navigable  fome  hun- 
dred Miles  W.  S.  W.  and  enters  the  Bay  in  Lat.  52°.  coming  from 
fome  of  thofe  Lakes  which  communicate  with  Nelfon  River,  run- 
ning through  fertile  and  woody  Countries  in  a  temperate  Climate. 
1  The 


(  59  ) 

The  New  Severn  enters  the  Bay,  in  Lat.  56°.  and  comes  from 
the  South-weft  from  at  leaft  53°.  through  a  rich  and  fertile  Coun- 
try, full  of  fine  Woods  for  above  100  Leagues,  full  of  Beavers  and 
other  Beafts  of  rich  Furs,  having  Branches  which  communicate 
with  Albajiy  and  Nelfon  Rivers. 

The  River  Nelfon,  or  Bourbon,  opens  a  Navigation  into  a  Coun- 
try of  furprizing  Greatnefs,  through  many  Lakes  of  great  Ex- 
tent, having  many  navigable  Rivers  running  into  them  from  diflant 
Countries  in  delightful  Climates,  even  to  Lat.  46°.  and  to  Nations 
adjoining  to  the  Weftern  Ocean. 

Churchill  River,  in  Lat.  59°.  a  noble  River,  navigable  for  1 50 
Leagues,  and  after  pafTing  the  Falls,  navigable  again  to  far  diflant 
Countries,  abounding  in  Mines  of  Copper,  and  other  rich  Com- 
modities, even  to  the  Weftern  Sea  ;  fo  that  the  Southern  and  We- 
ftern Parts  of  the  Bay  would,  in  fome  Time,  afford  an  inexhaufti- 
ble  Fund  for  Trade  j  nor  is  the  Eaft  Side  of  the  Bay  defpicable, 
about  the  new  difcover'd  Inland-fea,  where  there  are  rich  Furs,  and 
Mines  of  Lead.  What  an  immenfe  Trade  might  be  begun  and 
carried  on  from  thefe  Countries ;  for  the  Natives,  being  numerous, 
and  of  a  humane  Difpofition,  inclin'd  to  trade,  upon  having  an 
equitable  Trade  with  us,  would  be  foon  civilized,  and  become  in- 
duftrious,  in  fuch  rich  and  delightful  Climates  ?  What  a  Vent 
might  be  had  in  thofe  Countries  for  our  Woollen,  Iron,  and  other 
Manufadlures,  may  be  eafily  conceived  :  So  that  by  opening  the 
Trade,  and  fettling  thefe  Countries,  the  Fre?tch  in  time  would  be 
confined  to  the  Rivers  which  fall  into  the  River  St.  Laurence,  and 
be  deprived  of  all  their  North-weftern  Trade. 

The  North-weft  Part  of  the  Bay,  beyond  the  River  oj  Seals, 
in  Lat.  60.  is  the  moft  incapable  of  Improvement,  there  being  lit- 
tle Wood  to  be  had  there  near  the  Bay  ;  nor  is  it  neceflary  to  have 
any  Settlements  there,  unlefs  one  fliould  be  made  for  convi(5led  Fe- 
lons, by  way  of  Punifhment  or  Baniihment,  as  is  pradlifed  in  Muf- 
covy,  by  fending  Criminals  to  Siberia,  or  by  the  Danes  lately  to 
their  Settlement  in  Davis's  Streight,  upon  the  Coaft  of  Greenland: 
But  tho'  there  are  few  Woods  there,  yet  there  is  Plenty  of  Game, 
Rain-Deer  in  great  Numbers,  Hares,  Buffaloes,  Foxes,  and  many 
other  Beafts,  whofe  Skins  and  Furs  are  valuable ;  and  the  Natives 
there  might  be  employed  in  Hunting  and  Fifhing,  and  aUo  in  the 
Mines,  there  being  a  fine  Copper  Mine  already  dilcovered  on  a 

I   2  Streij'ht 


(  6o  ) 

Straight  or  Arm  of  the  Sea  in  that  Country.  Whale-fin  and  Oil 
may  be  had  in  Abundance,  from  the  Number  of  Whales  feen 
there,  as  alfo  Seals,  white  Bears,  and  Sea-Horfes,  from  the  Lati- 
tude of  62°.  to  66°.  and  this  Trade  would  increafe  by  employing 
thfe  EJkimaiix  Indians^  who  are  already  fo  dextrous  as  to  flrike  and 
kill  them  with  Harpoons  made  of  Bone,  and  muft  improve,  by 
furnifhing  theiii  with  our  Harpoons  and  Lines,  and  other  Imple- 
ments of  Iron,  and  Fire  Arms  to  fuch  as  would  be  reclaimed  and 
civilized,  which  the  Benefit  they  would  have  by  a  free  Trade  would 
very  much  contribute  to.  We  find  the  North  Bay,  above  the  Wel- 
come^ even  to  66°.  is  in  a  habitable  Climate,  having  met  with  the 
EJkimaux  Indians  in  Wager  River,  at  Deer  Sound,  and  we  find  in 
Europe  many  Inhabitants  within  the  Polar  Circle,  for  all  to  the 
North  of  the  Bofhnick  Gulph  from  Torneo  exceeds  that  Latitude  ; 
all  the  Laplands,  Petzora,  the  Samoyeds,  and  all  North  of  Siberia, 
and  yet  by  their  Rain-Deer  and  Sledges  they  are  fo  well  pleafed 
with  their  Country,  that  they  are  with  Difficulty  prevailed  with  to 
leave  it,  fo  that  fome  Advantage  may  be  made  of  the  moft  North- 
erly Parts ;  tho'  few  or  no  Europeans  fettle  there,  by  civilizing  the 
Natives,  and  learning  them  the  Ufe  of  Rain-Deer  and  Sledges,  and 
Lapland  Shoes  for  the  Snow,  and  fhewing  them  the  way  to  make 
Stoves  where  Firing  may  be  had,  fo  that  an  Advantage  may  be 
had  of  the  coldelt  Parts  of  that  Country. 

But  befides  the  Advantage  to  be  made  of  thefe  Countries  ad- 
joining to  the  Bay,  by  opening  the  Trade,  and  fettling  there,  a  ftill 
more  confiderable  one  might  be  made,  by  opening  a  Communica- 
tion with  our  prefent  Northern  Colonies  upon  that  Continent  by 
the  Means  of  the  Canada  Lakes,  by  forming  a  Settlement  on  the 
River  Conde,  which  is  navigable  into  the  Lake  Errie,  which  is 
within  a  fmall  Diflance  of  our  Colonies  of  Penfyhania  and  Mary- 
land, and  being  above  the  great  Fall  of  Niagara,  and  in  the  Neigh- 
bourhood of  the  Iroquefe,  who  are  at  prefent  a  Barrier  againft  the 
French,  and  a  fiifficient  Protediion  to  our  Fort  and  trading  Houfe 
at  Ofwega,  in  their  Country  upon  the  Lake  Frontenac,  who  by 
that  Trade  have  fecured  the  Friendship  of  all  the  Nations  around 
the  Lakes  oi Huron  and  Errie.  We  fliould  from  thence,  in  a  little 
Time,  fecure  the  Navigation  of  thefe  great  and  fine  Lakes,  and 
paffing  to  the  Southward,  at  the  fame  time,  from  Hudfon'^  Bay  to 
the  Upper  Lake,  and  Lake  of  Hurons,  we  fliould  cut  off  the  Com- 
munication 


(  6i  ) 


munication  betwixt  their  Colonies  of  Canada  and  MiJJiJfippi,  and 
fecure  the  Inland  Trade  of  all  that  vafl  Continent.  I  Ihall  there- 
fore from  Lahoittan,  and  other  French  Authors,  give  a  fliort  Ac- 
count of  the  Climates  and  Situations  of  thefe  Lakes,  and  the  Soil 
of  the  adjacent  Countries.  The  Upper  Lake  is  lituated  South-weft- 
ward  of  Hudjbn's  Bay^  which  may  be  come  at  by  the  Mcofe  River ; 
from  whence,  after  a  Navigation  of  i  oo  Leagues,  and  paffing  fome 
Falls,  there  is  a  Land  Carriage  of  feven  Leagues  to  the  River  Me- 
chipikoton,  which  falls  into  that  Lake.  This  Lake  is  fituated  be- 
tween 46".  and  49°.  of  Latitude,  and  is  about  500  Leagues  in  Cir- 
cuit, taking  in  the  feveral  Windings  of  the  Coaft.  It  it  calm  from 
May  to  September^  the  South  Side  well  llielter'd  with  Bays.  There 
is  a  large  River,  call'd  Camanitigoyan,  on  the  North  Side  ;  there 
are  many  large  Iflands  in  it,  in  which  are  Elks  and  wild  AfTes, 
great  Quantities  of  Sturgeon,  Trout,  and  white  Fifti,  and  very 
good  Copper  is  got  near  the  Lake.  This  Lake  is  cold  for  near 
iix  Months,  and  is  frozen  fometimes  feveral  Leagues  from  the 
North  Shore. 

•  This  falls  into  Huron  Lake  by  the  Fall  of  St.  Mary,  a  Sharp  of 
two  Leagues.  Huron  Lake  is  to  the  South-eaftward,  fituated 
betwixt  Lat.  43°.  and  46°.  and  is  about  400  Leagues  in  Circuit. 
The  North  Side  is  well  fheltered  by  many  Iflands  full  of  Woods, 
one  called  Manatoualin  is  20  Leagues  long  and  10  broad  ;  on  the 
Eaft  Side  is  the  River  Fran^oife,  which  is  as  broad  as  the  Seine 
at  Paris  ;  it  runs  40  Leagues  from  the  Lake  Nepicerini  North- 
eaftward,  and  South-eaft  of  it  is  the  Bay  of  I'oranto,  which  is  in 
Depth  25  Leagues  and  i  5th  in  Breadth  ;  the  River  Toranto  iA\h 
into  it,  which  is  full  of  Cataradts,  from  the  Head  of  which  they 
can  go  by  a  fhort  Land  Carriage  to  Lake  Frontenac  by  the  River 
Taneoiite.  There  is  nothing  remarkable  from  that  Bay  to  the 
Streights  of  St.  Jojeph,  through  which  it  is  emptied  into  Lake  Er- 
rie,  on  the  North  weft  Side  below  St.  Mary's,  is  the  Town  of 
MiJJilimakitiac,  fituated  between  the  Fall  and  the  Illinefe  Lake. 
Crofling  the  Entrance  of  this  Lake,  we  come  to  the  Weft  Side  of 
Huron  Lake,  in  which  is  the  Bay  of  Sakinac,  1 6  Leagues  deep 
and  6  broad  at  the  Entrance.  The  River  Sakinac  falls  into  it, 
which  is  navigable  for  60  Leagues,  and  is  as  broad  as  the  Seine  at 
Seve  Bridge  ;  this  Country  abounds  with  Beavers ;    from  this  Bay 

the 


(    62    ) 


the  Coaft  runs  South  Eaft  to  the  Streight  of  St.  Jofeph  already 
mentioned. 

MiJJilimakinac  is  fituated  in  45°.  30'.  within  a  League  of  the 
Entrance  into  the  Illinefe  Lake,  extreinely  pleafantly,  as  well  as 
conveniently  for  Trade.  Here  is  a  great  Fifhery  for  white  Fifh, 
the  richeft  and  beft  Fifh  in  the  World,  being  fo  lufcious  that  all 
Sauce  fpoils  it.  The  Indians  here  fow  Indiafi  Corn,  Beans  and 
Peafe,  and  have  excellent  Citi-u!s  and  Melons. 

This  Lake  is  fituated  in  an  excellent  Climate,  affording  all 
Things  neceflary  for  Life,  as  well  as  all  Fruit  and  Trees  which 
are  for  Ornament  and  Pleafure,  filled  with  Fifli,  and  furrounded 
with  Herds  of  Deer,  wild  Oxen,  Beavers,  and  other  Beafts  of 
rich  Furs,  and  all  Sorts  of  wild  Fowl  :  In  the  Northern  Side  of 
the  Lake  the  Spring  begins  with  April  N.  S.  In  the  Land  the  Ice 
breaks  up  in  Marcl\  but  there  is  floating  Ice  until  the  Beginning 
of  April,  and  the  Froft  and  Winter  fets  in,  the  latter  End  of  No- 
•vember.  On  the  South  Side  the  Winter  breaks  up  the  Beginning 
of  March,  all  the  Ice  being  gone  before  April,  and  the  Winter 
does  not  begin  until  the  Beginning  of  December.  From  the 
French  River,  he  fays,  there  is  a  Land  Carriage  to  a  River  which 
falls  into  St.  Laurence  near  Monreal. 

The  ////w^y^  Lake  begins  at  MiJJilimakinac  in  Lat.  45°.  30'.  and 
extends  Southwards  to  about  40°.  being  above  300  Leagues  in 
Circumference,  in  one  of  the  befl  Climates  in  the  World  ;  it  is 
free  from  Sands,  Shelves,  or  Rocks,  furrounded  with  Woods  of 
the  largeft  and  befl  Kinds,  either  for  Food,  Delight,  or  Ufe,  hav- 
ing mofl  excellent  Fruit  of  all  Kinds.  Forty  Leagues  Southward 
of  the  Entrance,  on  the  Wefl  Side  of  the  Lake,  is  the  Bay  of 
Piiants,  I  o  Leagues  broad  at  the  Entrance,  filled  with  fine  Iflands, 
and  25  Leagues  deep,  betwixt  Lat.  43°.  and  44°.  it  produces  all 
Sorts  of  Grain  and  Fruit  almofl  without  Culture.  The  Fall  of 
Kakalin  is  on  the  River  which  falls  into  this  Lake  ;  above  it  is  the 
Nation  of  Kikapotis,  and  above  them  a  fmall  Lake  called  Malomi- 
nis ;  upon  the  Sides  of  it  grows  a  Kind  of  wild  Oats,  from  which 
the  Natives  get  plentiful  Crops  5  above  this  is  the  Outagamis  Fort, 
and  a  little  higher  the  Land  Carriage  to  Oidjconfic  River,  which 
Ellis   into  the  MiJJiJippi. 

There  is  nothing  remarkable  from  the  Bay  of  Puanfs  to  the  Ri- 
ver Chicakou,  in  the  South  End  of  the  Lake,  which  has  its  Source 

near 


(  63  ) 

near  the  Illtnefe  River,  to  which  there  is  a  Land  Carriage  of 
ibme  Miles.  The  Illinefe  River  is  navigable  from  about  Lat.  39°. 
to  the  Mijjijfippi  for  about  60  Leagues  South-weft.  "  This  River 
runs  through  one  of  the  moft  delightful  Countries  in  the  World, 
abounding  with  the  moft  delightful  Meadows  and  Woods,  which 
produce  every  Thing  for  Delight  or  Ufe,  filled  with  plenty  of  Deer, 
wild  Oxen,  and  wild  Fowl  of  all  Kinds ;  on  the  Eaft  Side  of  the 
Lake  is  another  fine  River,  called  Oumamis  or  Miamis,  whofe 
Source  is  near  the  Huron  Lake.  There  is  nothing  remarkable 
on  this  Eaft  Coaft,  except  the  Bay  De  L'Ours  qui  dort,  until  you 
come  to  its  Entrance  into  the  Huron  Lake. 

The  Climate  upon  this  Lake  is  moft  delightful,  few  Storms  met 
with  here.  The  Bay  of  Piianti  is  frozen  over  about  the  Middle 
of  December^  and  the  Froft  is  gone  again  in  February,  the  Grafs 
being  well  grown  in  the  Meadows  by  the  Middle  of  March.  On 
the  South  Side  of  the  Lake  the  River  Chicacou  was  frozen  over  the 
Beginning  oi  December ;  and  upon  the  3d  of  January  it  began  to 
thaw,  and  was  navigable  the  24th.  The  whole  Country  around 
this  Lake  is  fill'd  with  Woods  of  moft  excellent  Timber  of  the 
greateft  Growth,  which  are  fill'd  with  Deer,  Buffalo's,  &c.  and 
all  kind  of  wild  Fowl ;  and  rich  Mines  have  been  difcovered  up- 
on the  Illinefe  River  in  its  Neighbourhood. 

To  the  Southward  of  the  Lake  of  Hurons,  by  the  Streights  of 
St.  Jofeph,  which  are  half  a  League  broad,  after  a  Courfe  of  fix 
Leagues,  is  the  Lake  of  St,  Clair,  which  is  1  2  Leagues  in  Cir- 
cuit ;  and  from  thence  by  another  Streight  of  20  Leagues  long, 
and  the  fame  Breadth,  is  the  Entrance  into  the  Lake  Errie.  All 
along  this  Streight,  and  around  St.  Clair  Lake,  are  fine  Woods 
full  of  Harts  and  Roe-bucks,  ftored  with  all  kinds  of  Fowl.  The 
Lake  Errie  or  Conti  is  230  Leagues  in  Circumference,  in  the 
moft  excellent  Climate  in  the  World,  from  40°.  to  42°.  The 
Country  around  it  is  low  and  champaign,  fill'd  with  moft  delight- 
ful Woods,  full  of  excellent  wild  Fruit,  interfperfed  with  Mea- 
dows filled  with  feveral  Sorts  of  Deer  and  wild  Beeves.  Two 
fine  Rivers  fall  into  it  from  the  Southweft,  without  Catarafts  or 
rapid  Currents.  From  one  of  thefe,  by  a  Land-carriage,  there  is 
a  PafTage  to  the  Illinefe  River  ;  and  by  another  to  the  River  Oua- 
bach  or  Ohio  ;  which,  after  a  Courfe  of  near  200  Leagues,  100  of 
which  is  three  and  a  half  Fathoms  deep,  enters  into  the  Mijif- 


(  64  ) 


fippi,  in  about  36°.  Latitude,  about  80  Leagues  below  the  Illijieje 
River. 

This  Lake  abounds  with  Sturgeon  and  white  Fifli,  the  beft  in 
the  World.  It  is  clear  of  Rocks,  Shelves,  or  Sands,  generally 
.14  to  15  Fathoms  deep,  feldom  or  never  diflurbed  with  Storms, 
;uid  thefe  only  in  the  three  Winter  Months,  when  they  happen. 
Stags,  Roe-bucks,  and  wild  Beeves  abound  on  its  Banks,  and 
Turkeys  and  other  wild  Fowl  in  the  Woods.  On  the  North  Side 
a  narrow  Strip  of  Land  runs  into  the  L  ake  for  1 5  Leagues,  Thirty 
Leagues  to  the  Eaftward  of  this  is  a  fmall  River  that  rifes  near  the 
Bay  of  Gamaxajki  in  Front enac  Lake.  From  this  River  to  the 
Fall  o?  Niagara  is  30  Leagues  ;  this  is  fuppofed  to  be  the  greatefl 
Fall  in  this  Globe,  from  its  Height  and  Quantity  of  Water  it  dif- 
charges ;  the  Height  was  computed  formerly  above  100  Fathom, 
but  by  a  late  exadt  Account  taken  by  the  French  in  172 1 ,  it  is  faid 
to  be  only  26  Fathom  pei-pendicular  by  a  Plumb  Line,  befides  the 
Declivity  above  and  below,  it  being  rapid  and  full  of  Shelves  for 
fix  Miles  below  it,  before  it  is  again  navigable.  The  Streight  above 
Niagara  at  the  Lake  is  about  a  League  wide.  From  this  to  the 
River  Co?ide  is  20  Leagues  South-weft  ;  this  River  runs  from  the 
8.  E.  and  is  navigable  for  60  Leagues  without  any  Catara(Ss  or 
Falls  ;  and  the  Natives  fay,  that  from  it  to  a  River  which  falls 
into  the  Ocean,  is  a  Land  Carriage  of  only  one  League.  This 
muft  be  either  the  Safquehana  or  Powtomack,  which  fall  into  the 
Bay  of  Chifapeak.  There  are  feveral  fine  Iflands  on  the  South- 
weft  of  this  Lake  filled  with  Fruit  Trees  of  feveral  Kinds,  and 
there  is  a  Profpei^l  of  rich  Mines  within  20  Leagues  of  it  upon 
a  Mountain  from  which  Oar  has  been  brought  which  proved  good. 

From  this  fhort  Abftrad:  of  the  Lakes,  taken  from  the  Frejich, 
who  difcovered  them,  we  muft  conclude  that  the  Countries  ad- 
ioining  to  them  are  the  moft  delightful  in  the  World  ;  that  in  time, 
by  civilizing  the  Natives,  and  making  them  become  induftrious, 
a  very  fine  Commerce  might  be  carried  on  through  thefe  extenfive 
Lakes,  which  might  be  fecured  to  us,  by  making  a  fufficient  Set- 
tlement upon  the  River  Conde,  where  it  begins  to  be  navigable, 
which  is  but  at  a  fmall  Diftance  from  our  prefent  Colonies  of  Ma- 
ryland and  Penfihattia,  from  whence  we  might  extend  that  Settle- 
ment by  Degrees,  and  by  building  proper  VefTels  there  to  navigate 
thefe  Lakes,  we  might  gain  the  whole  Navigation  and  Inland 
I  Trade 


(  6s  ) 

Trade  of  Furs,  &c.  from  the  French,  the  Fall  of  Niagara  being 
a  fufficient  Barrier  betwixt  us  and  the  French  of  Canada  by  Water, 
and  the  Iroquefe  and  Fort  at  Ofwega  upon  Lake  Frontenac, "  an 
impregnable  Barrier  by  Land,  and  by  the  Neighbourhood  of  our 
moft  populous  Colonies,  and  Numbers  tranfplanting  themfelves 
annually  from  Eiirope,  particularly  from  Switze?dand  and  Ger- 
many  to  Fenfihania  ;  they  would  be  eafily  induced  to  ftrengtheu 
our  Settlements  upon  this  River  and  Lake  Frrie,  in  fuch  a  rich 
Soil  and  delightful  Climate  ;  and  by  our  fecuring  the  Streights  of 
St.  Jofeph,  betwixt  Errie  and  Huron  Lake  and  the  River  Fran- 
pife,  near  the  Bay  of  Toranfo,  we  fliould  cut  off  the  French  at 
Canada  from  their  Communication  with  thefe  Lakes  and  the  Mif- 
Jijpppi,  and  join  our  Settlements  to  be  made  Southward  oi  Hudfons 
Bay  upon  the  Moofe,  Nodway  and  Rupert's  Rivers,  which  in  time 
would  fecure  to  us  the  whole  Fur  Trade,  and  make  Canada  inlig- 
nificant  to  the  French ;  and  alio  by  fettling  upon  the  Ouabach  or 
Ohio  near  Lake  Errie,  by  having  the  Cherokees  and  Chickefaias 
to  the  Southward,  as  a  Barrier  betwixt  us  and  Louifiana,  and  fecur- 
ing the  ChoBaws,  we  might  fpread  our  Commerce  beyond  the 
MiJJiJJippi ;  by  which  Means,  the  Inland  Trade  of  that  vafl  Northern 
Continent,  much  greater  than  Europe,  would  in  time  be  wholly 
enjoy'd  by  us  in  Britain,  independent  of  any  other  European  Power. 

How  glorious  would  it  be  for  us  at  the  fame  time  to  civilize  fo 
many  Nations,  and  improve  fo  large  and  fpacious  a  Country  ?  by 
communicating  our  Conflitution  and  Liberties,  both  civil  and  re- 
ligious, to  fuch  immenfe  Numbers,  whofe  Happinefs  and  Pleafure 
would  increafe,  at  the  fame  Time  that  an  Increaie  of  Wealth  and 
Power  would  be  added  to  Britain. 

There  is  at  prefent  a  Beginning  of  this  Scheme  by  the  Zeal  of 
Mr.  Barclay,  who  is  inftru6ting  and  civilizing  the  Moivhanah 
among  the  Iroquefe,  who  from  a  warlike  Nation  have  embarked 
in  Trade,  and  entered  into  Alliances  with  all  the  Nations  around 
the  Lakes  Huron  and  Errie,  and  to  the  Weftward  as  far  as  the 
MiJJiJJippi,  which  is  firmly  eflabliflied  by  the  Gain  they  make  by 
the  Trade  the  EngliJJo  from  New-Tork  have  fixed  at  Ofwega  in  their 
Country,  upon  equitable  Terms  with  all  the  Indians,  who  come 
now  from  a  great  Diftance  to  trade  at  that  Town,  Indians  coming 
now  to  trade  there  whofe  Names  were  never  before  known  to  the 
EngliJJi.     This  therefore  feems  to  be  the  critical  Time  to  begin  this 

K  Settle- 


(  66) 

Settlement  on  the  Banks  of  Conde  River.  If  there  be  a  War  with 
France,  as  we  are  at  a  great  Expence  to  fave  the  Liberties  of  Eu- 
rope, and  fupport  the  Houfe  of  y^ujlria,  lince  we  can  have  no- 
thing in  Europe  beneficial  for  us,  in  cafe  we  are  fuccefsful  at  the 
Conclufion  of  the  War,  we  ought  to  flipulate  for  fomething  ad- 
vantageous in  America  ;  and  the  leaft  we  ought  to  claim  is  our 
Right  to  the  American  Lakes,  and  fecuring  the  Navigation  of  them. 
The  French  have  at  prefent  two  little  Forts,  of  about  thirty  Men 
in  each,  at  Niagara,  and  the  Streights  of  St,  Jofeph,  and  a  few 
Men  at  MiffiUmakinac,  and  at  the  Bottom  of  the  lllinefe  Lake  ; 
thefe  we  ought  to  have  from  them,  either  by  Force  or  Treaty, 
which  would  fecure  the  Inland-Trade  to  us,  and  prevent  their  fu- 
ture Incroachments  either  there  or  in  Hudfon's  Bay  ;  and  to  do  this 
efi^edlually,  would  be  to  make  this  Settlement  near  the  Lake  Errie, 
which  may  be  done  at  little  or  no  Expence,  confidering  our  pre- 
fent Barrier,  and  Alliance  and  Trade  with  the  Natives  j  and  when 
our  Troops  are  difbanded,  fome  of  them  may  be  fent  over  upon 
Half-pay  to  fix  in  proper  Places,  and  make  good  our  Pofifeffions, 
which  would  be  a  fine  Retreat  to  our  Soldiers,  who  can't  fo  eafily, 
after  being  difbanded,  bring  themfelves  again  to  hard  Labour,  after 
being  fo  long  difufed  to  it. 

By  thefe  Settlements,  and  thofe  adjoining  to  Hudfon's  Bay,  and 
by  opening  the  Trade  in  the  Bay,  many  Thoufands  more  would 
be  employed  in  Trade,  and  a  much  greater  Vent  would  be  opened 
for  our  Manufadtures ;  whereas  all  the  Gain  we  have  at  prefent, 
whilfl  the  Trade  is  confined  to  the  Company,  is  the  Employment 
of  1 20  Men  in  all  their  Faftories,  and  two  or  three  Ships  in  that 
Trade,  mann'd  perhaps  with  120  Men  in  time  of  War,  to  enrich 
nine  or  ten  Merchants  at  their  Country's  Expence  ;  at  the  fame 
time  betraying  the  Nation,  by  allowing  the  Fraich  to  encroach  up- 
on us  at  the  Bottom  of  the  Bay,  having  given  up  by  that  means 
the  greatefl  Part  of  their  Trade  there  to  the  French  ;  it  is  therefore 
humbly  fubmitted  to  the  Government,  whether  it  is  not  jufl,  as 
well  as  prudent,  to  open  that  Trade  to  all  the  Britijh  Merchants, 
and  refume,  at  the  fame  time,  the  Charter  fo  far,  as  to  take  from 
them  all  thoie  Lands  they  have  not  reclaimed  or  occupied  after  70 
Years  Pofleflion,  leaving  them  only  their  Faftories,  and  fuch  Lands 
as  they  have  reclaimed  adjoining  to  them  j  and  to  give  Grants  as 
ufual  in  other  Colonies,  to  all  who  fhall  go  over  to  trade  and  make 

Settle- 


(  (>!  ) 

Settlements  in  the  Country  j  for  no  Grant  was  ever  intended  to  be 
made  to  them,  to  enable  them  to  prevent  other  Subjedls  of  Britain 
from  planting  thofe  Countries,  which  they  themfelves  would  not 
plant  or  occupy  ;  for  fuch  a  Power,  inflead  of  being  beneficial, 
would  be  the  greateft  Prejudice  to  Britain^  and  is  become  a  gene- 
ral Law  in  all  the  Colonies,  that  thofe  who  take  Grants  of  Land, 
and  don't  plant  them  in  a  reafonable,  limited  Time,  forfeit  their 
Right  to  thofe  Lands,  and  a  new  Grant  is  made  out  to  fuch  others 
as  fliall  plant  and  improve  them ;  and  if  this  Grant  be  not  imme- 
diately refumed  fo  far,  and  the  Trade  laid  open,  and  fome  Force 
be  not  fent  to  fecure  our  Southern  Polfeffions  in  the  Bay  by  the  Go- 
vernment, in  cafe  there  fliould  be  a  French  War,  we  ihall  fee  the 
French  immediately  difpoifefs  the  Company  of  all  their  Fadlories  but 
Churchill^  and  all  thefe  Countries,  and  that  Trade,  will  be  in  the 
Pofleffion  of  the  French. 

To  the  making  fuch  Settlements  fome  Objedlions  have  been 
made  by  the  Friends  of  the  Company  j  as  the  great  Difficulty  of 
getting  People  to  go  to  fettle  and  plant  in  fo  cold  a  Country,  and 
the  Difficulty  and  Danger  attending  the  making  Settlements  higher 
up  upon  the  Rivers,  and  navigating  them,  they  being  fo  full  of 
Falls  and  Rapids,  that  can  only  be  navigated  by  the  Natives  in  fmall 
Canoes  made  of  Birch  Bark,  which  can't  contain  above  two  Men 
with  any  Cargo  ;  and  in  thefe  they  are  often  overfet,  and  are  in 
danger  of  being  drowned,  and  of  fpoiling  their  Goods ;  that  they 
are  often  obliged  to  carry  their  Canoes  and  Cargo  from  Place  to 
Place,  which  obftruds  greatly,  and  delays  the  Navigation,  and 
that  fcarce  5  Men  out  of  1 20,  which  the  Company  now  have  in 
the  Bay,  will  venture  themfelves  in,  or  can  condudl  fuch  Canoes, 
without  imminent  Danger  of  being  drowned,  and  confequently 
thefe  Hardfhips  and  Difficulties  will  counterbalance  the  Profit  to  be 
made  of  fettling  higher  up  in  the  Country,  upon  the  Rivers  in 
pleafanter  and  warmer  Climates. 

To  this  I  anfwer,  that  by  the  Accounts  already  given  here  of 
thefe  Climates  and  Countries  by  impartial  Perfons,  who  don't  want 
to  difguife  the  Truth,  it  appears  that  the  Cold  is  tolerable  even  at 
thefe  difadvantageous  Settlements  at  prefent  in  the  Bay,  and  that 
upon  paffing  only  five  or  fix  Leagues  up  the  Rivers  into  the  Coun- 
try, the  Climate  is  fo  altered,  as  to  be  equal  to  thofe  of  the  fame 
Latitudes  in  Europe ;  and  that  thefe  prodigious  Accounts  of  the  Ef- 

K  2  fedts. 


(  68  ) 

fed:s  of  Cold  are  calculated  only  to  ferve  the  Company,  in  order  to 
prevent  People  from  going  there  to  fettle,  and  encroach  upon  the 
Company's  Monopoly  of  Trade. 

As  to  the  Difliculty  they  make  about  navigating  thefe  Rivers  in 
thofe  fmall  Canoes,  and  the  fmall  Number  of  thofe  employed  by 
the  Company,  who  will  venture  in  them,  or  can  conduit  them  ; 
I  anfwer,  that  their  Servants,  being  at  prefent  no  Gainers  by  Trade, 
won't  endeavour  to  learn  to  navigate  thefe  Canoes,  where  there  is 
any  Rifque,  and  Care  neceffary  to  prevent  the  Danger  :  Belides, 
the  Company  allows  them  no  Time  to  leai'n,  by  confining  them  to 
their  Faftories  whilft  the  Indian  Trade  continues,  and  the  Navi- 
gation is  open  ;  and  at  other  Times  keep  them  employed  in  cutting 
Wood  for  Firing,  bringing  it  home,  and  in  (hooting,  fifhing,  and 
digging  in  their  Gardens,  to  fupply  themfelves  with  Provifions,  to 
lelTen  the  Company's  Expence  ;  fo  that  they  are  allowed  no  Time 
to  learn  to  navigate  thefe  Boats,  or  to  go  up  the  Rivers  to  obferve 
the  Soil  and  Climate,  or  what  Improvements  might  be  made  in  the 
Country  :  But  if  they  were  Mailers  of  their  own  Time,  and  could 
advance  their  Wealth  by  Trade,  and  found  a  confiderable  Profit  to 
arife  to  them  by  their  Dexterity  in  managing  thefe  Canoes,  and  the 
great  Pleafure  and  Satisfaction  they  would  have,  by  living  in  a  fine 
Climate  among  thefe  Lakes  and  Rivers,  they  would  be  as  enterpri- 
zing  and  dexterous  as  the  Cureur  de  Bois,  and  be  as  able  to  navigate 
among  thefe  Water-falls  as  the  French.  Neither  is  it  impradicable 
to  prevent  even  thefe  Canoes  from  overfetting,  by  Outlagers  or 
blown  Bladders  fixed  to  their  Sides ;  or  other  Kinds  of  Boats  may 
be  ufed,  fuch  as  are  made  at  'Torneo,  in  Sweden,  upon  the  Rivers 
falling  into  the  Bothnick  Gulph ;  and  Laplanders  might  be  pre- 
vailed upon  to  go  there  to  teach  them  how  to  make  and  manage 
thefe  Boats,  and  train  up  Rain-Deer  to  draw  in  Sleds  in  Winter, 
and  alfo  to  ufe  Lapland  Shoes,  which  are  better  than  thofe  ufed  in 
Afnerica. 

If  the  Trade  was  once  made  free,  the  Profit  made  upon  it  would 
induce  many  to  go  and  fettle  upon  thefe  Rivers,  when  not  only 
Horfes  and  other  Conveniencies  would  be  had  near  thefe  Water- 
falls to  afilft  the  Land  Carriage  in  Summer,  but  alfo  Horfes  and 
Rain-Deer  to  draw  their  Sleds  in  Winter  as  in  RuJIia,  which  is 
almoft  as  cheap  a  Carriage  as  by  Water,  when  the  proper  Roads 
are  made  through  the  Woods  y  fo  that  Objeftion  muA  be  of  no 
I  Force 


(  69  ) 


Force  to  prevent  our  opening  the  Trade,  and  fettling  thefe  Coun- 
tries. 

But  fuppofing  the  word,  that  we  could  not  manage  thefe  Canoes, 
that  could  not  prevent  our  fettling  to  Advantage  upon  thefe  Rivers 
and  Lakes  above  the  Falls ;  for  the  Natives  might  flill  be  our  Car- 
riers in  navigating  thofe  dangerous  Places,  and  taking  our  Goods 
from  one  Settlement  to  another,  whilfl  we  fliould  be  employed  in 
Navigation  and  Trade  among  the  Lakes  and  Rivers  where  there  are 
no  Falls  in  larger  Veffels,  and  pufh  our  Commerce  Southward  into 
better  Climates  and  richer  Soils,  and  put  the  Natives  upon  Im- 
provements in  Trade,  by  civilizing  and  inftrudting  them  in  build- 
ing convenient  Houfes,  and  affociating  in  Towns,  making  Gardens, 
and  tilling  their  Lands,  providing  them  with  Horfes  and  tame  Cat- 
tle, and  Fowl  for  their  Ufe,  and  proper  Tools,  which  our  Trade 
would  furniflT  them  with. 

Another  Objedion  is,  that  it  is  a  difficult  and  dangerous  Naviga- 
tion into  the  Bay,  and  the  Trade  is  not  worth  the  Rifque, 

To  this  I  anfwer,  that  the  Navigation  is  not  fo  dangerous  as  it  is 
apprehended  to  be,  but  appears  to  be  more  fo  by  the  Infinuations 
and  Report  of  the  Company  and  their  Friends,  who  give  it  out  in 
order  to  deter  others  from  venturing  and  interfering  in  their  Trade  j 
and  for  that  Reafon  they  oblige  their  Captains,  under  a  Penalty, 
not  to  publifli  any  Charts  of  the  Bay  and  Streight.  Captain  Mid- 
dkton,  who  was  in  their  Service,  made  above  twenty  Voyages  to 
different  Parts  of  the  Bay,  and  never  loll  a  Ship,  nor  had  any  Ac- 
cident in  thefe  Voyages  ;  nor  have  I  heard  that  the  Company,  in 
about  23  Years,  have  loft  any  Ships  in  that  Trade  but  tv/o,  and 
the  Men  and  Cargo  were  faved  by  Captain  Middlcton.  Where  Cap- 
tains are  careful  in  the  Ice,  there  is  not  much  Danger  ;  it  is  of 
great  Advantage  to  them  that  there  is  no  Night  at  that  Seafon  they 
enter  the  Bay  where  the  Quantity  of  Ice  is  greateft  ;  and  when  they 
return  in  September,  or  even  in  OBcber,  all  the  Ice  is  in  a  manner 
diffolved,  or  paffed  out  of  the  Streight  into  the  Ocean,  and  none 
feen  that  can  obftrudt  their  Paffage. 

It  is  probable,  that  during  the  whole  Winter,  from  OElober  to 
March,  there  is  no  Ice  in  the  Streight  to  obftrud;  their  Paffage  in- 
to, or  out  of,  the  Bay  ;  for  a  Ship  which  chanced  to  be  clofed  up 
with  Ice  in  an  Inlet,  by  the  breaking  of  the  Ice  got  out,  and  came 
through  the  Streights  at  Chriftmas,  without  finding  any  Ice  in  the 

Streight 


(  7°  ) 


Streight  to  prevent  her  Paffage :  For  the  Ice  which  is  formed  in 
Bays  and  Rivers  in  Winter,  does  not  break  up,  and  get  into  the 
Channel  or  Streight,  until  it  begins  to  thaw  upon  the  Shores  in 
March  and  April  j  at  which  Time  it  is  carried  by  the  Winds  and 
Tide  into  the  Streight,  and  obftrudls  the  Paffage  in  May,  and  Part 
of  June,  until  it  is  diflblved  ;  yet  even  then  good  Pilots  know  how 
to  avoid  it,  and  get  into  the  Eddy  Tide,  out  of  the  Current,  where 
the  Ice  is  more  open,  and  not  drove  together  by  the  Winds  and 
Current,  as  it  is  in  the  Channel ;  but  thefe  Difficulties  would  leffen 
every  Day,  if  the  Trade  were  open'd,  and  the  Voyages  were  more 
frequent  by  the  greater  Number  of  Ships,  which  would  make  ma- 
ny more  experienced  Pilots ;  and  as  there  is  now  a  more  accurate 
Cliart  publifhed  of  the  Streight  and  Bay  by  Captain  Middleton,  with 
the  lllands.  Soundings,  Tides  and  Variation,  the  Navigation  will 
become  lefs  dangerous  daily,  and  Coves  and  Places  of  Shelter  for 
Ships  will  be  found  out  by  the  Numbers  of  Ships  which  would 
then  pafs,  and  be  trading  in  thefe  Seas,  which  are  now  unknown. 

I  therefore  apprehend,  that  the  Danger  from  the  Ice  is  more  in 
Imagination  than  Reality,  when  Care  and  Judgment  are  employed  j 
for  Ships  are  moftly  inclofed  in  Ice  in  calm  Weather  and  Fogs, 
when  the  Ice  prevents  the  Motion  of  the  Sea  j  flormy  Weather 
difperfes  and  breaks  the  Ice  and  blows  off  the  Fogs,  and  Ships 
keep  a  good  Offing  from  the  Ice,  unlefs  they  get  under  the  Lee 
of  a  large  Ifland  of  Ice,  and  then  they  faften  to  it  and  drive  along 
with  it,  whilft  the  fmaller  Ice  to  Leeward  is  drove  from  them 
by  the  Wind  ;  and  the  large  Iflands  being  many  Fathoms  deep  in 
the  Water,  come  on  Ground  before  the  Ships  are  in  Danger  of  be- 
ixig  forced  on  Shore  in  ihallow  Water, 

The  greatefl:  Danger  and  Delay  from  the  Ice  is  in  the  Entrance 
into  the  Streight ;  for  the  firft  40  Leagues  from  thence  the  Quan- 
tity is  lefs,  and  they  pafs  on  with  lefs  Difficulty,  and  after  getting 
into  the  Bay,  the  North-weft  Side  is  freeft  from  Ice,  the  Bottom 
of  the  Bay  is  full  of  low  flat  Ice,  which  is  all  diffolved  in  the  latter 
End  of  Summer. 

Upon  the  whole,  except  two  Ships  which  were  loft  in  King 
William's  Reign,  and  a  French  Ship,  after  an  Engagement  with 
our  Ships,  when  they  attack' d  Fort  A^^Z/c??,  I  have  heard  of  none 
but  the  Ships  already  mentioned  which  have  been  loft  in  that  Voy- 
age. The  two  Ships  which  went  with  Barloiv  in  17 19  to  find* 
"  I  the 


(  71   ) 

the  North- weft  Paflage,  contrary  to  the  Inclinations  of  the  Compa- 
ny, if  they  did  not  make  the  Paffage,  were  probably  in  the  Win- 
ter furprized  by  the  Natives,  and  were  not  loft  in  the  Ice  ;  for  they 
lay  that  the  Natives  in  about  Lat,  63°.  where  they  fup^iofe  they 
were  loft,  are  fliyer  fince  that  Time  in  trading  with  the  Company's 
Sloops,  which  they  apprehend  to  be  from  a  Confcioufnefs  of 
Guilt,  fearing  that  it  might  be  known,  and  they  flaould  be  pu- 
niilied  for  it. 

Since  therefore  the  greateft  Danger  from  the  Ice  is  in  paffing  the 
Streight,  and  fo  few  Accidents  have  happened  in  fo  many  Years, 
the  Navigation,  I  think,  can't  be  call'd  dangerous,  tho'  it  has  been 
generally  fo  apprehended  ;  and  not  equal  to  the  Whale  Fifhers 
who  go  annually  to  Spitzberg  and  Davis's  Streights,  to  Lat.  78°. 
and  80°.  without  any  Objeftion  to  that  Navigation,  either  by  the 
Dutch,  Hamburgers,  Danes,  Bifcayners,  or  EngHjJj. 

I  think  therefore  it  appears,  that  upon  opening  the  Trade,  and 
fettling  in  the  Bay,  a  very  great  Improvement  may  be  made  to 
our  Trade,  by  the  Increafe  of  our  Fur  Trade,  and  from  the 
Mines  ;  and  beneficial  Whale  Fifhery,  which  may  be  improved 
and  carried  on  there  by  the  Indians ;  and  the  whole  may  be  had 
without  Danger  or  Difficulty,  altho'  no  Paftage  fhould  be  found 
to  the  Weftern  Ocean  ;  but  if  there  be  a  Probability  of  that  Paf- 
fage, and  the  Prefumptions  are  now  vaftly  ftronger,  fince  the  Dif- 
coveries  lately  made  by  the  Ships  under  Captain  Middleton'i  Com- 
mand, and  the  Advantages  would  be  fo  very  great  to  our  Trade^ 
in  cafe  a  fafe  Paflage  fhould  be  found,  I  fhall  here  give  a  ftiort 
Abftrad:  of  the  Journal  which  he  has  been  pleafed  to  give  us,, 
wherein,  tho'  many  material  Obfervations  have  been  concealed  and 
omitted,  and  others  have  been  mifreprefented  ;  and  the  chief  Part 
of  the  Coaft,  where  the  greateft  Hopes  was  of  a  PafiTage,  was  en- 
tirely flighted  and  negled:ed  by  him.  Part  being  pafl^ed  in  the 
Night,  and  the  Remainder  failed  along  in  hazy  Weather,  at  five,  fix,, 
and  eight  Leagues  Diftance,  fo  as  to  make  no  Difcovery  of  thofe 
broken  Lands,  of  which  that  whole  Coaft  confifts ;  which  feems 
plainly  done  with  a  Defign  in  him  to  compliment  the  Company 
at  the  publick  Expence,  that  he  might  have  it  in  his  Power  to 
gratify  them  by  concealing  the  Difcovery  ;  and  thought  from  his 
Charadler  of  being  an  experienced  Sailor,  no  other  after  him  would 
>if)retend  to  look  after  it  for  the  future,  which  would  quiet  the  Com- 
pany 


(   7^  ) 


pany  in  the  Poffeflion  of  their  darUng  Monopoly  in  the  Bay, for  which, 
110  doubt,  he  had  ftrong  Motives  to  induce  him  to  flight  it,  they  hav- 
ing offered  him  before  he  went  the  Voyage  /.  5000  not  to  go,  or  to 
flight  the  Difcovery,  by  going  to  Davis's  Streights,  or  any  other  Way 
.  but  where  he  was  directed,  as  he  has  own'd  to  feveral  Perfons ;  yet 
notwithftanding  all  his  Art  in  concealing  a  great  deal,  and  difguifing 
more,  in  his  Journal,  enough  is  difcovered  in  it,  to  fliew  he  was  in  the 
PafTage,  and  that  if  his  Inclination  had  been  as  good  as  his  Abili- 
ty, he  could  have  made  a  confiderable  Progrefs  in  the  Difcovery  of 
the  Paflage  lall  Voyage  ;  and  after  obferving  upon  his  own  Journal, 
I  ihall  add  what  further  Remarks  have  been  made  in  the  Voyage 
by  Ibme  Officers  who  were  on  board  him,  and  Objediions  to  his 
Condud:  upon  the  Voyage,  fo  far  as  related  to  his  concealing  and 
flighting  the  Difcovery  j  and  by  comparing  his  Journal  and  their 
Obfervations,  with  the  Accounts  formerly  given  by  Butto?z,  Fox, 
Scroggs  ^nd  Norton,  fhall  fliew  that  the  Prefumptions  now  of  their 
being  a  fafe  Paffage  to  the  Weflern  Ocean  oi  America,  are  as  flrong 
,  as  well  can  be,  without  a  Demonflration  by  an  adlual  pafling  it. 
y\\y\,.<-  Y{^  could  not  get  out  fooner  than  the  ifl  of  July  from  Churchill 
aM^.  River  in  Lat.  58°.  56'.  to  fearch  for  the  Paflage  ;  on  the  3d  at  five 
pAZ-  ^'^  *^^  Morning  he  faw  three  Iflands  in  Lat.  61°.  40'.  on  the  4th 
hefaw  Brook  Cobhatn  in  Lat.  63°.  Long.  93°.  40'.  Wefl  fromZ/ow- 
don,  the  Variation  there  was  21°.  Weft.  This  Ifland  had  much 
Snow  upon  it;  on  the  6th  in  the  Morning  he  faw  a  Head-land  in 
Lat.  63°.  20'.  Long.  93°.  Weft  ;  Soundings  from  35  to  72  Fa- 
thoms ;  at  five  the  Current  fet  N.  N.  E.  2  Knots  2  Fathoms ; 
the  Tide  flowed  from  N.  E.  by  N.  Variation  30°.  Weft  ;  a  W.  by 
N.  Moon  made  high  Water;  the  8th  he  was  in  Lat.  63°.  39'.  faw 
no  Whales  or  other  Fifli  yet,  except  one  white  Whale  as  big  as  a 
Grampus,  and  fome  Seals ;  much  Ice  North  of  them,  clofe  in 
Shore  for  feveral  Leagues  ;  Depth  60  to  90  Fathoms  ;  Land  7 
or  8  Leagues  N.  W.  loth  in  Lat.  64°.  51'.  Long.  88°.  34',  Weft, 
the  Welcome  here  11  or  12  Leagues  wide,  the  Eaft  Coaft  a  low 
flat  Coaft,  the  whole  Welcome  full  of  Ice  ;  they  filled  frefh  Water 
off  the  Ice;  clos'd  in  the  Ice  until  the  12th;  the  13  th  he  got 
through  the  Ice  to  Northwards  of  Cape  Dobbs,  a  new  difcovered 
Head-land,  on  the  N.  W.  Side  of  the  Welcome,  in  Lat.  65°.  10'. 
Long.  86°.  6'.  Weft,  faw  a  fair  Opening  N.  W.  of  it ;  failed  into 
this  Opening  or  River  to  fecure  the  Ships  from  the  Ice,  until  it 

difperfed 


(  73  ) 

difperfed  In  the  Welcome.     The  Entrance  of  this  River   6  or  8 
Miles  wide  for  4  or  5  Miles.     Four  Leagues  higher  it  was  4  to  5 
Leagues  wide  ;  he  anchored  on  the  North  Side  above  fome  lilands 
in  34  Fathoms  ;  the  Tide  in  the  Narrow  flowed  5  Miles  an  Hour  > 
not  ib  ftridt  further  up  ;   much  Ice  came  down  with  the  Ebb ; 
the  Soundings,  as  they  went  up,  were  from  1 4  to  44  Fathoms  in 
,  the  Middle  of  the  Channel,     Next  Morning  feveral  of  the  Ejki- 
maux  Indians  came  on  board,  who  had  nothing  to  exchange  but 
their  old  Cloaths  and  20  Gallons  of  Train  Oil ;  he  gave  them  fe- 
veral Toys  ;  he  went  higher  about  four  Miles,  above  fome  Iflands, 
and  anchored  in  a  Sound  betwixt  them  and  the  North  Shore,  in  an 
Eddy  Tide,  to  be  out  of  the  Way   of  the  driving  Ice,    which 
went  in  and  out  with  the  Tide,  and  anchored  in  16  Fathoms  ; 
this  he  called  Savage  Sound ;  the  River  above  and  below  full  of 
Ice  ;  the    1 5th  he  fent  up  the    Lieutenant  with  nine  Men   well 
armed,  with  Provifions  for  48  Hours,  in  the  eight  oar'd  Boat,  to 
try  the  River,  who  returned  on  the  17th  ;  he  had  been  up  as  far 
as  the  Ice  would  permit,  it  being   fafl   above  from  Side  to  Side  ; 
he  found  the  Depth  above   from  70  to  80  Fathoms.     The  16th 
the  Captain  went  afliore  on  fome  Iflands,  and   found  them  quite -^ 
bare,  except   fome  Ihort  Grafs,    and  Mofs  in  the  Valleys,  and  a 
little  Sorrel   and  Scurvy-Grafs  above   High-water  Mark,     They 
fet  the  Fifhing  Nets  but  got  no  Fifh  ;  many  of  his  Men  relapfed 
in  the  Scurvy,  above  half  not  ferviceable.     The  Tide  at  the  Mouth 
of  the  River  on  Change   Days  flows  five  Hours,  and  rifes  from 
10  to  15  Feet,  Variation  35°,  Wefl: ;  where  the  Lieutenant  was, 
it  flowed  from  the  Southward,  and  rofe   1 3  Foot  at  Neap  Tide. 
The  Northern  Indians  he  took  from   Churchill  knew  nothing  of 
the  Country ;   1 8th  got  the  Ships  into  a  fafe  Cove,  and  moor'd 
in  nine  Fathoms  and  a  half  :    The  Captain  went  up  the  River  in 
the  Morning  with  eight  Men  and  the  two  Indians,  and  by  eight  at 
Night  was  got  up  1 5  Miles  :  He  found  the  Tide  flowed  1 2  Feet,, 
and  a  Weft  Moon  made  high  Water  ;   the   Tide  flowed  from 
S.  S,  E.  the  Indians  killed  a  Deer  ;  they  heard  an  uncommon  cry- 
ing in  the  Night,  generally  made  by  Savages  when  they  fee  Stran- 
gers ;   1 9th  by  two  in  the  Morning  went  five  Miles  higher,  and 
got  into  a  fmall  River  or  Sound,  fix  or  feven  Miles  wide,  but  how 
far  it  went  up  they  knew  not ;  the  main  River  was  there  fix  or  fe- 
ven Leagues  wide,  but  fo  full  of  Ice  tl^ey  could  not  go  much  far- 

L  tlicr : 


(  74) 


ther  ;  the  Lands  on  both  Sides  very  high  ;  lie  went  upon  one  of 
the  higheft  Mountains  24  Miles  above  Savage  Cove,  where  the 
Ships  lay,  from  whence  he  could  fee  where  the  Ships  lay,  and  a- 
bout  8  or  lo  Leagues  higher  up  than  the  Place  he  was  at  ;  he 
©bferved  the  River  run  N.  by  W.  by  the  Compafs,  which,  Vari- 
ation allowed,  was  to  Weftward  of  N.  W.  but  it  grew  narrower 
in  its  Couife  upwards,  and  was  full  of  Ice  ;  the  20th,  at  eight  in 
the  Evening,  he  returned  on  board  with  fix  Deer,  which  tlie  ht- 
(Jians  had  fliot  whilft  he  was  on  Shore  :  He  called  that  Place 
Deer  Sound ;  the  Land  is  very  mountainous  and  barren,  with 
Rocks  of  the  Marble  Kind  ;  in  the  Vales  a  great  many  Lakes, 
with  fome  Grafs,  and  Numbers  of  large  Deer,  as  big  as  a  fmall 
Horfe,  12  or  13  Hands  high  ;  upon  Iflands  not  half  a  Mile  in 
Circuit  they  generally  faw  a  fmall  Herd.  21ft  he  went  down  the 
River,  which  was  ftill  full  of  Ice  ;  when  he  was  within  4  Miles 
of  the  Entrance,  he  got  upon  a  high  Hill,  and  faw  the  JVelcojne 
ftill  full  of  Ice  from  Side  to  Side.  2  2d  the  Ice  very  thick  in  the 
River  above  and  below,  and  more  drives  in  every  Tide,  if  the 
Wind  comes  from  the  Welcome ;  he  fent  the  Lieutenant  with  the 
fix  oar'd  Boat  up  the  River.  24th  more  Ice  in  the  River  than 
ever  ;  no  fending  a  Boat  downwards.  25th  Lieutenant  returned, 
after  having  been  48  Hours  founding  among  the  Iflands  near  Deer 
Sound;  he  found  the  River  full  of  Ice  j  he  brought  three  Deer 
with  him.  26th  fent  the  Lieutenant  and  Mafler  down  to  fee  if 
the  Ice  was  clearer  below,  and  in  the  Welcome ;  Savage  Sound  is 
in  Long.  89°.  28'.  Weft,  Variation  35°.  Weft;  the  Entrance  of 
Wager  River  is  in  Lat.  65°.  23'.  Deer  Sound  65°.  50'.  the  Courfe 
from  Savage  Bay  is  N.  W.  by  Compafs,  which,  Variation  allov/ed, 
is  W.  by  N.  27th  Lieutenant  returned,  having  been  carried  out 
by  the  Ice  and  Tide  fix  or  feven  Leagues,  and  found  the  River  be- 
low quite  choak'd  up  with  Ice,  but  thinner  when  they  got  into 
the  Welcome.  28th  at  one  in  the  Afternoon,  the  Lieutenant  and 
Mafter  went  up  the  River,  to  try  if  they  could  find  out  any  other 
Way  into  the  Welcome  befides  that  they  came  in  at,  on  Account 
they  had  feen  many  black  Whales,  and  other  Fifh,  the  Time  they 
were  up  laft,  and  none  were  feen  where  the  Ships  lay,  nor  any 
where  below  ;  he  was  like  wife  ordered  to  try  Deer  Sound,  and 
every  Opening,  to  find  whether  the  Tide  came  in  any  other  Way, 
than  the  Way  they  came  in  at,  this  he  had  Time   to  do,    until 

the 


(  75  ) 


the  Ice  cleared  in  the  NTouth  of  the  River  and  Welcome.  2gt\\ 
he  fent  the  Boat  with  eight  lick  Men,  and  feveral  tliat  were  lame 
ivith  the  Scurvy,  to  an  Ifland  about  five  Miles  oif,  it  having  Plenty 
of  Sorrel  and  Scurvy-Grafs  upon  it,  and  left  with  them  Tenting 
and  Neceflaries;  the  Tide  flowed  12  Fathom  6  Inches ;  the  Cap- 
tain went  up  one  of  the  higheft  Hills,  and  found  the  River  full 
of  Ice  below,  but  fomething  thinner  above.  30th  he  perceived 
the  Ice  was  all  faft  below  them,  and  for  eight  or  ten  Miles  above 
tlicm,  without  the  Iflands  ;  but  pretty  clear  without  the  Cove. 
3  I  ft  Abundance  of  Ice  drove  in  from  the  Welcome,  and  almoft  fil- 
led the  Bay  without  them.  The  ift  of  Augiift  the  Lieutenant  and 
Mafter  came  on  board,  having  been  four  Days  out,  who  faid  they 
had  been  10  or  12  Leagues  above  Hcer  Sound  ;  they  faw  a  great 
many  black  Whales  of  the  Whale-bone  Kind  ;  they  tried  every 
Opening  they  faw,  and  conftantly  found  the  Tide  of  Flood  came 
from  the  Eaftward,  or  in  at  the  Mouth  of  the  River  F/ager,  2d 
they  unmoored  and  warp'd  out  into  Savage  Sound,  and  on  the 
4th  by  loth  at  Night  got  out  of  the  River,  the  Ebb  carrying 
them  out  at  the  Rate  of  five  Miles  in  an  Hour,  being  clear  of  Ice 
until  they  got  out  ;  it  being  almoft  calm  put  the  Pinnace  a  Head, 
and  tow'd  and  row'd  with  the  Ship's  Oars.  They  were  then  in  65°. 
38'.  and  Long.  87°.  7'.  Weft  Variation  38°.  Here  they  entered  a  new 
Streight  N.  E.  of /F^^^r  River,  13  Leagues  wide;  the  Entrance 
of  Wager  River  is  in  Lat.  65°.  24'.  Long.  88°.  37'.  the  5th  they 
were  in  Lat.  66°.  14.  Long.  86°.  28'.  Weft  ;  the  Strait  there  was 
about  8  or  9  Leagues  wide,  failing  among  Ice  ;  the  S.  E.  Coaft 
was  low  and  fhingly  7  Leagues  long  ;  at  the  N.  E.  End  of  the 
Beach  was  a  mountainous  ragged  Land  like  Part  of  Hudfo?i's 
Streight  ;  good  Soundings  herefrom  25  to  44  Fathoms,  Variation 
40°.  Weft  ;  the  Tide  comes  from  E.  by  N.  by  the  Compafs ;  the 
Tide  runs  very  ftrong  here  with  Eddies  and  Whirlings.  6th  tried 
the  Tide,  and  found  it  came  from  the  E.  by  S.  the  Point  of  the 
Beach  at  two  was  diftant  four  or  five  Miles ;  at  half  an  Hour  paft 
two  fent  the  Lieutenant  aflwre  with  the  fix  oar'd  Boat  to  try  the 
Tide,  and  found  it  had  ebbed  two  Feet,  and  the  Flood  came  from 
the  Eaftward  ;  at  three  made  a  Signal  for  the  Boat  to  come  on 
board  ;  at  four  faw  a  fair  Cape  or  Head-land  on  the  Weft  or  North 
Shore,  bearing  from  them  S.  W.  half  S.  fix  or  feven  Leagues,  the 
Land  trenching  away  from  E,  by  N.  to  N.  by  W.  making  eight 

L  2  Points 


(  76  ) 

Points  of  the  Compafs ;  this  gave  them  Joy,  beheving  it  the  North 
Point  of  u4merica,  and  therefore  he  called  it  Cape  Hope  ;  they 
work'd  round  it  through  much  ftraggling  Ice  all  Night ;  in  the 
Morning  when  the  Sun  clear'd  away  the  Haze,  they  faw  Land  all 
round,  quite  from  the  low  Beach  to  the  Weflward  of  the  North, 
meeting  the  Well  Shore,  and  made  a  deep  Bay,  but  to  make  fure 
they  kept  their  Courfe  to  the  Cod  of  it,  until  two  next  Afternoon, 
when  every  one  faw  plainly  it  was  a  Bay,  and  they  could  not  go 
above  fix  or  eight  Miles  farther  ;  fo  trying  the  Tide  feveral  Times, 
and  finding  it  always  llack  Water,  they  found  they  had  overihot 
the  Opening  where  the  Tide  came  in  at,  from  the  Eallward,  the 
Variation  here  was  50°.  This  Bay  at  the  Bottom  was  fix  or  feven 
Leagues  wide  from  Side  to  Side  ;  very  high  Land  from  thence  to 
the  frozen  Streight  Eaftward  of  them  ;  Soundings  from  50  to  105 
Fathom ;  they  failed  Eaftward  out  of  the  Bay,  much  Ice  to  Eaft- 
ward. The  8th  at  i  o  in  the  Morning  the  Captain  went  on  Shore 
with  the  Boat,  taking  the  Gunner,  Carpenter,  and  his  Clerk  with 
him,  to  try  if  he  could  find  from  whence  the  Flood  came  in  at 
to  this  Streight  or  Bay.  At  Noon  Cape  Hope  bore  N.  half  E.  five 
or  fix  Leagues  ;  the  Beach  W.  S.  W.  four  Leagues  ;  the  Entrance 
of  the  frozen  Streight  amongft  the  Iflands  on  the  Eaft  Side,  bore 
Eaft  two  Leagues ;  at  four  the  Middle  of  the  frozen  Streight  bore 
E.  S.  E.  three  Leagues  ;  at  half  an  Hour  paft  nine  at  Night  he  re- 
turned on  board  ;  he  had  travelled  about  1 5  Miles  to  the  higheft 
Mountain  that  overlooked  the  Streight,  and  Eaft  Bay  on  the  other 
Side,  and  faw  the  PafTage  the  Flood  came  in  at ;  the  narroweft 
Part  of  this  Streight  is  four  or  five  Leagues,  and  five,  fix  or  {even 
in  the  broadeft,  almoft  full  of  large  and  fmall  Iflands,  and  in 
length  about  16  or  18  Leagues;  it  ftretches  S.  E.  round  to  the 
South  and  to  the  Weftward  ;  it  was  full  of  Ice  not  broke  up,  all 
faft  to  both  Shores,  and  Iflands  therein  ;  he  faw  very  high  Land, 
about  15  or  20  Leagues  Southward  of  the  Place  he  was  at,  which 
he  took  to  run  towards  Cape  Comfort,  and  the  Bay  betwixt  that 
and  We/ion's,  Fortland,  being  Part  of  Hudfon's  North  Bay  ;  the 
Ice  being  not  yet  broke  up,  it  was  refolved  in  Council  to  try  the 
other  Side  of  the  Welcome,  from  Cape  Dobbi  to  Brook  Cobhanty 
to  know  if  there  was  any  Opening  there,  and  then  return  to  Eiig- 
land. 

The 


(  77  ) 

The  9th  at  two  in  the  Morning  they  bore  away  ;  at  three 
founded  3  5  Fathom  within  a  Mile  of  the  Beach,  fix  Leagues  to 
Cape  Hope,  and  three  to  the  Beach  Point ;  they  failed  along  the 
South-eaft  Shore  at  three  Leagues  Diftance ;  there  being  much  Ice 
to  Weftward,  almoft  one  third  over  ;  at  four  in  the  Afternoon 
Cape  Dobbs  bore  N.  W.  three  fourths  W.  by  Compafs  fix  Leagues ; 
at  10  founded  50  Fathom  ;  at  12,  60  to  65.  The  loth  at  four 
in  the  Morning  43  to  25  Fathom,  five  Leagues  from  the  Weft 
Land  at  eight  ;  66  to  70  Fathom  ;  then  in  Lat.  64°.  10'.  Long. 
88°.  56'.  Weft;  t\\t  WeIco77ie  htxc  16  or  18  Leagues  wide ;  the 
extreme  Part  of  the  S.  E.  Shore  ftill  in  Sight,  bore  from  S.  to  S.  E. 
by  E.  diftant  fix  or  feven  Leagues.  The  i  ith  at  four  in  the  Morn- 
ing 45  to  35  Fathom,  the  North  Shore  from  N.  E,  to  N.N.  W. 
four  or  five  Leagues  diftant,  then  in  about  Lat.  64°.  and  Long. 
90°.  53'.  near  the  Head-land  ;  they  kept  as  near  as  they  could  to 
the  Shore,  to  fee  if  there  was  any  Opening  into  the  Land,  2  5  to 
3  5  Fathoms  j  continued  failing  in  Sight  of  the  North  Shore  from 
Cape  Hope  ;  at  four  in  the  Afternoon  haul'd  off  from  the  Shore  to 
deepen  the  Water  ;  at  fix,  34  to  28  Fathom  ;  at  eight,  30  to  40  ; 
then  lay  by  until  Day-light  ;  Soundings  all  Night  fi"om  44  to  60 
Fathom.  At  four  on  the  12th  made  fail ;  at  fix,  flood  in  with 
the  Head-land  9  or  10  Leagues  to  Eaftward  of  Brook  Cobham  ;  it 
bore  then  from  them  N.  W.  by  N.  5  or  6  Leagues ;  founded  60 
to  49  Fathom  ;  at  ten  49  to  9  Fathom,  ftanding  in  to  the  Head- 
land ;  at  twelve  haul'd  oflF  to  deepen  the  Water,  they  were  then 
in  Lat.  63°.  14'.  and  Long.  92°.  25'.  W.  He  fays  he  found  in 
coafting  along  the  Shore  of  the  Welcome,  from  the  frozen  Streight 
to  this  Place,  that  it  was  all  a  Main-land,  tho'  there  are  feveral 
fmall  Iflands  and  deep  Bays ;  this  Head-land,  and  the  other  in 
Lat.  64°.  makes  a  deep  Bay  ;  in  their  Paflfage  out  they  did  not  fee 
the  Bottom  of  it,  as  they  did  upon  their  Return  ;  and  by  keeping 
clofe  along  Shore,  they  faw  many  large  black  Whales  of  the  right 
Whale-bone  Kind. 

They  had  from  20  to  40  Fathom  off  Brook  Cobham,  which  at 
four  in  the  Afternoon  was  W.  N.  W.  4  Leagues  diftant.  The 
13th  he  fent  afhore  to  fee  if  he  could  water  the  Ships  ;  the  two 
Northern  Indians  went  aftiore  in  the  Boat ;  the  Ifland  is  3  Leagues 
from  the  Main,  7  Leagues  long  and  three  broad,  all  of  hard  white 
Stone  like  Marble.  The  1 4th  the  Lieutenant  returned  with  the 
I  Boat, 


(  78  ) 


Boat,  and  brought  a  Deer  the  Indians  had  Hiot,  and  a  white  Bear  j 
they  faw  feveral  Swans  and  Ducks. 

The  1 5th  lent  the  Boat  for  more  Water  with  the  two  Northern 
India?is,  who  were  defirous  of  being  left  near  their  own  Country, 
he  gave  them  a  fmall  Boat,  which  he  taught  them  the  Ufe  of, 
and  loaded  it  with  Powder,  Shot,  Provifions,  Hatchets,  Tobacco, 
and  Toys,  of  every  Kind  he  had  on  board.  The  Afternoon  the 
Boat  returned  on  board,  and  brought  an  Account,  that  by  Marks 
left  on  the  Shore,  the  Tide  flows  fometimes  there  22  Feet  ;  they 
left  the  two  Indians  afhore,  who  deligned  to  go  to  tlie  Main-land 
the  firft  Opportunity  ;  the  other  Indian  being  defirous  of  feeing 
England,  he  brought  with  him,  and  the  fame  Day  bore  away  for 
Efigland. 

If  nothing  more  was  known  or  difcovered  by  this  Voyage,  than 
what  is  here  mentioned  in  this  Journal,  yet  it  even  appears  from  it, 
and  by  the  former  Accounts  given  by  Button,  Fox,  Scroggs,  and 
Norton,  that  there  are  ftrong  Prefumptions  of  a  Paflage,  of  which 
I  fliall  give  a  fhort  Abftradt,  with  Obfervations  upon  this  Journal, 
as  here  given  in  by  Captain  Middleton.  But  when  I  fliall  take  No- 
tice of  what  more  has  been  difcovered  in  this  Voyage,  which  has 
been  induftrioufly  concealed  by  him,  and  that  he  not  only  flighted 
examining  the  material  Parts  of  the  Coafl:,  and  the  Dired:ion  and 
Height  of  the  Tide,  where  the  greatefl;  Probability  was  of  a  Pal- 
fage  by  all  former  Accounts ;  but  even  avoided  the  Coaft,  and 
pafl'ed  great  Part  in  the  Night,  and  has  given  falfe  Accounts  of 
the  Courfe  of  the  Tides,  and  has  made  an  imaginary  frozen  Streight, 
in  order  to  bring  a  Tide  of  Flood  through  it  to  fupport  the  falfe 
Fads  he  has  laid  down  in  his  Journal,  and  publiflied  in  his  Chart 
of  the  Courfe  of  the  Tide,  from  thence  to  conclude,  that  there 
is  no  Paflage  ;  and  when  a  Pafl*age  or  Streight  free  from  Ice,  lead- 
ing to  the  W.  S.  W.  four  or  five  Leagues  wide  was  difcovered,  and 
reported  to  him  under  the  Lieutenant  and  Mafl:er's  Hand,  he  would 
not  purfue  it,  but  fail'd  out  of  the  Streight  N.  E,  a  Courfe  the 
Reverfe  of  what  he  ftiould  have  taken,  and  followed  the  Tide  con- 
trary to  his  Inflruftions ;  and  afterwards,  when  a  Tide  of  Flood 
was  difcovered  coming  from  the  Wefl:ward  at  Marble  Ifland, 
through  an  Open  on  the  Wefl:ern  Shore,  he  not  only  flighted 
looking  into  it,  but  even  refufed  the  Lieutenant  when  he  defired 
to  try  that  Opening,  and  difcouraged  all  thofe  who  were  on  board 


(  79  ) 


him,  who  were  of  Opinion  that  there  was  a  Paffiage,  and  were 
inquilitive  and  defirous  of  having  it  found.  When  all  this  is  fhewn, 
it  will  not  only  increafe  the  Probability  of  there  being  a  Paflage, 
but  alfo  confirm  the  Belief,  that  undue  Influence  has  been  made 
Ufe  of  by  the  Company,  to  induce  the  Captain  to  conceal  the 
Paffige  and  ftifle  the  Difcovery,  and  publifli  a  falfe  Chart  to  fix 
it,  and  deter  any  others  from  attempting  it  for  the  future. 

In  order  to  make  all  this  plain,  I  fliall  firft  give  a  ftiort  Abflracfb 
fi'om  Button,  Fox,  and  Scroggs,  of  wliat  they  obferved,  and  then 
reafon  from  their  Accounts,  and  the  Fadls  he  himfelf  has  allowed 
in  his  Journal,  before  I  mention  what  he  has  concealed,  avoided 
and  fahified  in  it. 

It  appears  from  Biitton'%  Journal,  who  was  the  firfl:  we  have  re- 
corded to  have  been  upon  that  Coafl  in  1613,  after  wintering  in 
Port  Neljm,  that  he  faw  a  Head-land  when  in  62°.  42'.  North  La- 
titude, bearing  from  him  N.  E.  by  E.  8  or  9  Leagues,  and  ano- 
ther Head-land  in  about  Lat.  64°.  which  are  the  fame  mentioned 
in  this  Journal ;  he  was  then  forced  by  a  Storm  into  Lat.  65°.  and 
fell  in  with  the  Eaft  Land ;  this  Place  he  called  A^^  Ultra,  not 
knowing  whether  it  was  a  Bay  or  Inlet.  He  was  afterwards  forced 
by  ftormy  Weather  to  the  Southward,  without  making  any  other 
Difcovery,  only  leaving  it  doubtful.  He  was  here  on  the  28th  of 
yiih,  but  faw  neither  Ice  nor  Snow  upon  the  Coafl  at  that  Time, 
but  faid  all  he  faw  was  a  broken  Land  and  Iflands  upon  the  North- 
weft  Coaft. 

Fox  was  the  next,  who  was  there  in  1632.  The  firft  Land  he 
made,  after  palling  Gary's  Sii'an's  Neft,  was  in  Lat.  64°.  i  o'.  which 
he  called  Sir  'Thomas  Roe's  Welcome,  but  was  the  fame  Button  called 
Ne  Ultra.  This,  he  fays,  was  an  Ifland,  a  high,  broken  Land. 
He  liad  fine,  clear  Weather,  an  open  Sea,  free  from  Ice,  no  Snow 
on  the  Land,  but  a  bold,  ragged  Coaft,  like  Head-lands  upon  the 
Ocean,  with  Tangle  and  Rock-weed,  and  great  Store  of  Fifh  leap- 
ing. Here  the  Tide  rofe  4  Fathom.  He  failed  from  thence  South- 
weft,  and  in  Lat.  63°.  37'.  faw  another  Head-land  to  Southward 
of  him,  and  fmall  Iflands  and  broken  Land  upon  the  Main,  with 
many  Fifli  and  Seals,  and  one  black  Whale.  He  failed  to  South- 
ward, and  came  to  Brook  Cobham,  an  Ifland  in  Lat.  63°.  where 
he  faw  two  Whales,  and  betwixt  that  Ifland  and  the  Main  his  Men 

faw 


(  8o  ) 

•faw  40  Whales,  This  was  the  27th  of  "July.  He  failed  thence 
to  the  Southward. 

Scroggs  was  the  third  that  was  there.  He  failed  from  Churchill 
River  on  the  2 2d  of  June  1722.  In  Lat.  62°.  he  traded  with  the 
Natives  for  Whale-fin  and  Sea-horfe  Teeth.  On  the  9th  of  July 
he  was  drove  in  hazy,  thick  Weather,  to  Lat.  64°.  56'.  where  he 
anchored  in  1 2  Fathoms.  When  it  cleared  up,  he  found  himfeif 
within  3  Leagues  of  the  North  Shore.  The  Read-land  which  bore 
E.  N.  E.  from  him,  he  called  Whalebone  Point.  He  faw  at  the 
fame  time  feveral  Iflands  bearing  from  S.  W.  by  W.  to  S.  W.  by  S. 
which,  Variation  allowed,  was  from  S.  W.  by  S.  to  S.  S.  W.  He 
iaw  Land  from.  South  up  to  the  Weft  ;  the  Welcome  was  very  high 
Land,  as  high  as  any  in  Hudfon's  Streight.  The  Southermoft  Illand 
he  called  Cape  Fiillerton.  Here  he  faw  many  black  Whales,  and 
fome  white.  He  fent  his  Boat  on  Shore,  they  faw  many  Deer, 
Geefe,  Ducks,  ^c.  He  faid  it  flowed  there  5  Fathoms  upon  his 
Lead-line,  he  having  but  7  Fathom  at  low  Water,  and  1 2  at  high 
Water,  He  had  two  Northern  Indians  with  him,  who  had  win- 
tered at  Churchill^  and  told  him  of  a  rich  Copper  Mine  fomewhere 
in  that  Country,  upon  the  Shore,  near  the  Surface  of  the  Earth, 
and  they  could  direct  the  Sloop  fo  near  it,  as  to  lay  her  Side  to 
it,  and  be  foon  loaden  with  it ;  they  had  brought  fome  Pieces  of 
Copper  from  it  to  Churchill.,  that  made  it  evident  there  was  a  Mine 
thereabouts.  They  had  fketched  out  the  Country  with  Charcoal 
upon  a  Skin  of  Parchment  before  they  left  Churchill,  and  fo  far  as 
they  went  it  agreed  very  well.  One  of  the  Indians  defired  him  to 
leave  him,  faying,  he  was  within  three  or  four  Days  Journey  of 
his  own  Country,  but  he  would  not  let  him  go.  He  faid  he  was 
up  in  the  Cod  of  the  Bay,  and  that  there  was  a  Bar  there  ;  but 
his  Men  faid  he  was  10  Leagues  from  what  he  called  a  Bar.  He 
failed  out  S.  E.  and  on  the  15th  croffed  to  the  Weft  Side  of  the 
Welcome,  in  Lat.  64°.  15'.  In  Lat.  64°.  8'.  he  faw  again  many 
Whales,  but  faW  no  Ice  when  he  was  there.  The  Land  from 
Whalebone  Point  fell  off"  to  the  Southward  of  the  Weft,  and  the 
Men  who  went  aihore,  faid  they  faw  nothing  to  prevent  their  go- 
ing farther.     They  had  Soundings  there  from  40  to  70  Fathoms. 

Captain  Norton,  late  Governor  oi  Churchill,  was  then  with  him, 
and  confirmed  this  Account,  and  that  the  Tide  rofe  5  Fathom  ; 
and  faid  that  he  was  on  Shore,    on  the  Top  of  a  Mountain,    and 

faw 


{  8i  ) 

law  the  Land  fall  away  to  the  Southward  of  a  Weft,  and  nothing 
to  prevent  their  going  further. 

Captain  Middleton  in  his  Journal  confirms  all  thefe  Head-lands 
in  the  very  fame  Places  they  mention  them,  with  high,  ragged 
Lands  and  Iflands  off  the  Main,  and  fiw  many  Whales  at  the  fame 
Head-land  Fox  had  (czn  one.  Upon  his  going  out  it  appears  he 
kept  at  a  great  Diftance  from  the  Weft  Shore,  fo  as  fcarce  to  de- 
fcry  it,  under  Pretence  of  Ice;  and  upon  his  Return,  tho'  there 
v/as  then  no  Ice,  it  appears  he  was  6  Leagues  to  Eaftward  of  Cape 
Dobbs,  paffed  Whalebone  Foint  in  the  Night,  without  feeing  that 
Coaft-,  and  was  5  or  6  Leagues  to  Eaftward  of  Cape  Fulkrton  next 
Morning,  as  it  appears  from  his  Logg-book  ;  he  afterwards  coafted 
down  the  Bay  Southward  of  that  Cape.  But  by  the  Logg-book  it 
appears  he  was  7  or  8  Leagues  off  the  Coaft,  and  generally  fo  ha- 
zy, as  only  barely  to  defcry  Mountains,  as  it  were,  in  the  Clouds, 
never  once  fending  his  Boat  on  Shore  to  try  the  Tide,  or  look  out 
for  Inlets,  until  he  arrived  at  the  Marble  liland  he  called  Brook 
Cobham ;  fo  that  he  could  not  fee  any  Whales  where  Scroggs  ob- 
ferved  them,  nor  could  he  defcry  any  Land  at  the  Bottom  of  the 
feveral  Bays,  when  he  was  fo  far  to  Eaftward  of  the  Iflands  and 
Head-lands ;  and  yet  he  takes  upon  him  to  fay,  he  had  fearched 
all  that  Coaft,  and  found  it  to  be  a  main  Land  from  Cape  Hope  to 
Brook  Cobham  J  and  found  the  Tide  always  flowed  from  the  North- 
eaft. 

In  his  going  out  he  faw  much  Ice  from  Lat.  63°.  35'.  to  Cape 
Dobbs,  as  well  as  to  Deer  Sound,  in  Wager  River,  and  in  the 
Strelght  and  Bay  near  Cape  Hope,  this  Year  ;  but  none  was  feen  in 
the  Welcome  by  Button,  Fox  and  Scroggs,  the  feveral  Years  they 
were  there  at  the  fame  Seafon,  tho'  Button  and  Scroggs  were  as 
high  up  as  Whalebone  Point  in  Lat.  65°.  and  Fox  faw  as  fir  from 
Lat.  64°.  10'.  without  feeing  any  Ice  in  the  Sea,  or  Snow  upon 
the  Land,  but  faw  great  Numbers  of  fmall  Fifh  leaping,  as  well  as 
many  Whales,  near  Brook  Cobham.  Captain  Middleton  had,  during 
his  whole  Voyage  out  from  Churchill,  and  back  again  to  Brook 
Cobham,  very  fine  Weather,  without  any  Storm,  or  Frofl,  or  Snow, 
the  Winds  for  the  moft  part  blowing  from  the  Eaftern  Quarter  ;  fo 
that  he  had  no  Pretence  upon  his  Return  to  avoid  fearching  the 
Weft  Side  of  the  Welcome;  it  was  thefe  Eafterly  Winds  that  Year 
which  carried  fo  much  Ice  into  the  Welcome  from  the  South-eaft, 

M  as 


(  8^  ) 


as  well  as  from  the  Bay  and  Streight  near  Cape  Hope,  all  which 
was  forced  by  the  rapid  Tide  into  Wager  River ;  and  it  appears 
from  the  Journal,  that  it  was  thefe  Winds  which  caufed  fo  great  a 
Quantity  of  Ice  in  the  River  as  high  as  Deer  Sound,  and  not  from 
the  breaking  up  of  the  Ice  above,  in  a  frefh  Water  River,  as  he 
gave  out,  and  he  would  have  made  the  flowing  in  of  the  Tide  fo 
far  from  the  South-eaftward  to  have  been  a  Confirmation  of  it ; 
whereas,  by  what  he  has  mentioned  in  his  Journal,  it  is  by  all  Cir- 
cumftances  a  fait  Water  Streight  or  Pallage  ;  for  the  Increafe 
of  its  Widenefs,  fi-om  7  Miles  at  its  Entrance,  to  8  Leagues,  and 
of  its  Depth,  from  14  to  80  Fathoms,  the  Boldnefs,  Height,  and 
Craggednefs  of  the  Coaft,  without  Tree  or  Shrub,  and  without 
any  Snow  or  Ice  in  the  Valleys  or  Hills,  arc  all  Symptoms  of  its 
being  a  fait  Water  Paffage  ;  but  the  Number  oi  Whales  and  other 
FiHi  feen  above  in  the  Streight,  at  leaft  20  Leagues  up  the  River, 
when  none  were  feen  below,  or  in  the  Welcome,  or  Streight  and 
Bay  above  Cape  Hope,  is  a  Demonftration  they  did  not  come  under 
the  Ice  into  Wager  River  from  the  Eaftward  ;  and  there  being  none 
ever  feen  in  the  Bay  or  Streights  of  Hudfon,  but  by  the  broken 
Lands  on  the  North-weft  Coaft,  it  is  next  to  a  Certainty  that  they 
came  from  the  Weftern  Ocean  to  that  Place  :  For  it  is  contrary  to 
Reafon  and  Fad:  to  fuppofe  that  Whales  and  other  Sea  Fifh  fliould 
go  up  a  frefli  Water  River,  and  none  be  below,  and  that  they 
fliould  be  there  under  the  Ice,  before  it  was  broken  up  ;  which, 
if  the  Journal  be  true,  muft  be  the  Cafe,  if  it  were  a  freOi  Wa- 
ter River,  as  he  affirms  it  to  be  ;  but  it  was  very  natural  for  the 
Whales  to  be  there,  if  they  came  in  from  the  Weftern  Ocean^ 
which  was  not  fo  liable  to  be  frozen  as  an  Inland  Bay  ;  for  they 
would  pufh  their  Way  through  the  Streights  and  broken  Lands, 
until  they  were  prevented  by  the  Ice,  which  the  Eafterly  Winds 
drove  into  the  Streight  from  the  Welcome  along  with  the  Flood ; 
and  this  was  jamm'd  in  among  the  Iflands  in  the  Pafiage,  and  ap- 
peared to  be  firm  Ice,  as  it  alfo  appeared  from  the  Hills  to  be  io  be- 
low them,  to  the  Mouth  of  the  River. 

This  alfo  eafily  accounts  for  the  Number  of  Whales  feen  from 
Whalebone  Point  to  Brook  Cobham,  and  even  to  Whale  Cove,  in  Lat. 
62°.  30'.  where  many  are  caught  by  the  J^Jkimaux  Indians,  when 
none  are  feen  in  the  other  Parts  of  the  Bay,  or  in  the  Streights  ;  for  if 
there  be  a  Communication  betwixt  the  Weftern  Ocean  and  the 

Bay 


(  83  ) 


Bay  in  this  Place,  the  PrefumptiGn  is  that  it  is  not  by  one  PafTage, 
but  that  it  may  be  all  a  broken  Land,  interfperfed  with  Iflands,  as 
the  Lands  of  Terra  del  Fuogo  are  at  the  Streights  of  Magellan^ 
which  is  almoft  a  parallel  Inftance,  and  therefore  this  Streight  of 
Wager  may  not  be  the  only  Lilet  into  the  Bay  j  but  from  Whale 
Cove  unto  that  River  may  be  all  broken  Lands,  with  feveral  Sounds 
among  the  Iflands,  which  is  mentioned  by  Scroggs  and  Fox,  and 
can't  be  controverted  from  this  Journal ;  fo  that  the  Whales  might 
get  to  that  Part  of  the  Bay  fooner,  as  there  v/as  no  Ice  there  to  ob- 
ftrudl  their  PafTage,  when  there  was  much  Ice  in  the  Weloine  and 
Eaft  Entrance  of  Wager  Streight,  which  prevented  thefe  Whales 
getting  any  farther  than  Deer  Sound.  This,  I  think,  makes  it 
highly  probable,  that  there  is  a  better  and  eafier  PafTage  Southward 
of  Cape  Dobbs,  betwixt  that  and  Whale  Cove,  in  Lat.  62°.  30'.  where 
there  is  no  Ice  to  obflrudt  the  PafTage  from  the  Middle  of  June  to 
OSiober  ;  and  if  the  Trade  was  opened,  .  this  might  be  difcovered 
by  any  Ships  who  would  go  there  to  fifh  for  Whales,  or  would 
trade  with  the  Natives  for  Fin  and  Oil,  who  might  follow  them 
into  the  Inlets  through  which  they  come  into  the  Bay,  and  this 
may  be  done  without  wintering  in  the  Bay,  for  they  may  return 
any  time  in  September  or  05lober  fafe  from  any  Obflrudtion  from 
the  Ice. 

The  only  feeming  Objedtion  to  this,  and  which  gave  a  Handle 
to  Captain  Middleton  to  reprefent  Wager  Streight  as  a  frefh  Water 
River,  was  the  Tide  flowing  into  it  from  the  Eaflward,  when,  if 
it  had  beeen  a  Streight,  he  imagined  he  might  have  met  a  Tide  of 
Flood  from  the  Weflward,  and  therefore  reprefented  it  as  if  the  Ice 
was  but  breaking  up  in  the  River  after  he  had  enter'd  it.  But  fince 
this  is  a  Streight,  and  not  an  immediate  Communication  with  the 
Weftern  Ocean,  he  could  not  exped:  to  meet  the  Weftern  Tide 
until  he  had  got  half  way  through  the  Streight ;  for  each  Tide 
flows  up  its  own  End  of  the  Streight,  and  meet  in  the  Middle. 
This  is  not  only  founded  upon  Reafon,  but  upon  Fadl,  in  the  only 
parallel  Inftance  we  know,  that  is,  in  the  Magellanick  Streight, 
tho',  by  Appearance,  this  Streight  is  a  greater  and  bolder  Streiglit 
than  the  other. 

The  Tide  at  the  North-eaft  Entrance  of  Magellan  Streight  flows 
firom  the  Eaflward,  and  rifes  4  Fathom,  before  it  comes  to  the 
firfl  Narrow,  which  is  but  half  a  League  wide,  and  fi'om  30  ta  35 

M  2  'Fatliom 


(  84  ) 

Fathom  deep ;  after  a  League  or  two  it  increafes  to  fix  or  feven 
Leagues  wide  to  tlie  iecond  Narrow,  where  it  is  about  a  League 
wide,  and  30  Fathom  deep.  Within  the  fecond  Narrow  it  increafes 
again  to  five  or  fix  Leagues  wide,  and  the  Tide  flill  flows  from  the 
.  Eaftward,  and  riles  about  10  Feet.  In  the  Mid-channel,  about  30 
Leagues  within  the  Streight,  it  is  200  Fathom,  and  the  Channel 
but  3  Leagues  wide,  and  from  thence  to  the  Middle  of  the  Streight 
it  is  leiTened  to  2  Leagues  wide,  and  about  100  Fathom  deep,  and 
the  Tide  ftill  flows  from  the  Eaftward  for  above  50  Leagues.  As 
they  come  near  the  Middle  of  the  Streight  the  Current  of  the 
Tide  is  not  above  an  Hour  at  each  Tide,  and  the  Tide  rifes  nine 
Feet.  Near  Cape  ^ad,  beyond  the  Middle  of  the  Streight,  it  is 
but  2  Leagues  wide,  and  for  about  1 3  Leagues  farther  is  rather  lefs, 
fometimes  not  4  Miles  wide,  from  whence  it  gradually  widens  to 
the  Weft  Entrance,  where  it  is  5  Leagues  wide  ;  fo  that  Wager 
Streight  is  much  larger,  for  fo  far  as  they  were  in  it,  which  was 
about  30  Leagues,  it  being  by  the  Account,  as  mentioned  in  the 
Journal,  6  or  7  Leagues  v/ide,  and  80  Fathom  deep,  which,  if 
there  be  no  other,  is  a  noble  PaiTage  ;  but  there  is  a  great  Proba- 
bility of  their  being  a  better  and  fafer  Paflage  to  the  Southward  of 
Whalebone  Point,  by  which  the  Whales  get  into  that  Part  of  the 
Bay. 

Thus  from  the  former  Accounts,  and  what  has  been  divulged  by 
Captain  Middleton  in  this  Journal,  there  feems  to  be  ftrong  Pre- 
fumptions  of  a  Pafl^age ;  but  after  Ihewing  Vv^hat  he  has  concealed 
and  falfified  in  his  Journal,  and  his  whole  Condudl  from  his  going 
to  Churchill  until  his  Return  to  Efigland,  and  even  fince  his  Return, 
it  will  appear  plainly  that  he  intended  to  ferve  the  Company  at  the 
publick  Expence,  and  contrived  every  thing  fo  as  to  ftifle  the  Dif- 
covery,  and  to  prevent  others  from  undertaking  it  for  the  future, 
fo  as  to  fecure  the  Favour  of  the  Company,  and  the  Rev/ard  he 
faid  they  promifed  him  before  he  began  the  Voyage. 

As  to  his  Declarations  and  Condudl  during  the  Voyage,  it  ap- 
pears by  undeniable  Evidence,  that  he  declared,  in  Prefence  of 
Ibme  of  his  Officers,  to  the  Company's  Governor  at  Churchill, 
'That  he  Jljould  be  able  to  make  that  Voyage,  and  none  on  board  him 
poidd  knonv  whether  there  was  a  Pajfage  or  not ;  and  he  would  be 
a  better  Friend  to  the  Company  than  ever. 

The  Lieutenant  finding  one  of  the  Men  at  the  Fadlory,  who  ve- 


(  8s  ) 

ry  well  underflood  the  Northern  Indian  Language,  and  would 
have  been  of  great  Ufe  upon  the'  Dilcovery,  offered  to  take  him 
with  them  at  his  own  Pviik,  faying  he  would  anfwer  it  when  he 
came  back,  it  being  for  the  good  of  the  Service  they  were  upon  ; 
but  the  Captain  would  not  allow  of  it  for  fear  of  difobliging  the 
Company.  The  Captain,  in  going  Northward  from  Churchill, 
never  once  went  afliore,  nor  fent  his  Boat  to  look  out  for  any  In- 
let or  try  the  Tide  ;  having  only  once  tried  the  Current  at  Sea  in 
63°.  20'.  where  he  found  a  very  rapid  Tide,  altho'  he  found  much 
Ice  to  Northward,  and  had  Time  enough  before  he  entered  the 
Ice  to  try  all  the  Coaft,  but  ftood  off  to  the  Eaftward,  until  he 
paffed  Cape  Dobbs  ;  and  tho'  he  then  found  an  Opening  North- 
weilward,  he  only  went  in  with  a  View  to  fhelter  his  Ships,  but 
not  to  look  out  for  a  Paffage  ;  and  therefore,  when  he  went  in, 
got  to  the  North- eaft  Side  out  of  the  Tide,  inftead  of  the  South- 
weft  Side,  where  he  ought  to  have  gone,  if  he  had  puflied  for  a 
Paflage ;  and  tho'  he  lay  there  three  Weeks,  he  never  but  once 
went  crofs  to  the  Weflern  Shore,  and  that  only  one  Day  or  two 
before  he  quit  the  River,  pretending  he  could  not  do  it  for  Ice, 
and  even  this  he  does  not  mention  in  his  Journal,  altho'  he  found 
there  an  excellent  Cove  for  iheltering  his  Ships.  He  once  pretended 
to  crofs  the  Streight  from  Deer  Sound,  where  he  had  no  Ice  to 
prevent  him,  but  after  going  two  Leagues  he  returned,  and  faid 
it  was  too  far,  and  he  had  tafted  the  Water  which  was  frefh, 
afking  the  Boatmen  if  it  was  not  fo,  which  they  contradicted, 
faying  only,  it  was  not  very  fait.  When  the  Lieutenant  went  up 
to  Deer  Sound,  he  difcovered  from  a  Mountain  an  Opening  South- 
weftward,  upon  the  other  Shore  i  o  Leagues  diftant,  betwixt  a  high 
and  low  Headland,  and  alfo  obferved  the  Ice  there,  when  it  was 
a  Quarter  Flood  at  TVager  River,  move  down  the  River  againft 
that  Tide ;  upon  his  mentioning  this  to  the  Captain,  he  was  laugh'd 
at,  who  afk'd  him  from  whence  that  Tide  could  come,  and  no 
farther  Enquiry  was  made  into  it. 

Afterwards,  when  from  the  Numbers  of  Whales,  and  Breadth 
and  Depth  of  the  River,  it  was  given  out  among  the  Ship's  Com- 
pany, that  they  believed  it  was  a  Streight  and  no  River  ;  he  rated 
feveral  of  them  for  pretending  to  lay  fo  againft  his  Opinion,  faying 
his  Clerk  was  a  double-tongued  Rafcal,  that  he  would  cane  the 
I  Jeutenant,  broomftick  the  Mafter,  and  la£h  any  others  who  would 

concera 


(  S6  ) 


concern  themfelves  about  the  Voyage,  and  threatened  that  if  any 
kept  private  Journals,  he  would  break  up  their  Boxes,  and  take 
them  from  them  ;  and  tho'  he  allowed  his  Clerk  to  take  the  Bear- 
ings of  the  Land,  and  Profpe6t  in  other  Parts  of  the  Voyage,  yet 
when  in  Wager  River,  and  at  the  Welcome,  he  forbid  him  from 
taking  any.  This  happened  when  the  Lieutenant  and  Mafter  were 
down  the  River,  to  look  out  for  a  Cove  for  the  Ships,  when  they 
ihould  fail  out  of  the  River  ;  when  they  returned,  he  imagining 
that  Rumour  might  turn  out  to  his  Prejudice,  in  cafe  no  farther 
Enquiry  was  made  about  its  being  a  Streight,  or  River,  he  faid 
they  might  go  up  to  try  the  Tide,  and  fee  if  there  was  any  other 
Way  out  into  the  Welcome  ;  which  was  into  the  Bay,  not  into  the 
Weftern  Ocean  ;  but  by  his  Warrant  limited  them  to  go  to  Deer 
Sound  or  thereabouts  ;  which  was  only  v/here  he  had  been  himfelf 
before,  and  ordered  them  to  come  back  with  the  utmoll  Difpatch 
the  Nature  of  the  Service  would  allow  ;  this  was  the  2  8th  of  Ju- 
ly. When  they  were  gone,  he  faid,  he  fuppofed  the  Lieutenant 
would  bring  back  fome  romantick  Account  of  a  Streight  or  Paf- 
fage  }  but  for  his  Part  he  would  not  take  the  Ships  a  Foot  farther, 
and  accordingly  before  their  Return  unmoored,  and  was  preparing 
to  warp  out  of  the  Cove,  which  he  did  the  Morning  after  they  re- 
turned. The  Lieutenant  upon  his  Return  gave  the  following  Re- 
port under  his  Hand.  viz. 

July  2jth,   1742. 

I  Was  ordered,  with  the  Mafter,  to  take  the  fix  oar'd  Boat,  and 
to  go  up  Savage  Sound,  as  high  as  Deer  Sound,  and  try  the 
Tides.  I  find  that  the  Flood  there  comes  from  the  River  Wager  j 
it  flow'd  there  10  Foot  Water. 

We  then  fail'd  from  Deer  Sound  for  the  High  Bluff  Land  on 
the  N,  W.  Side  of  the  River  Wager.  The  Courfe  from  the  Iflands 
off  the  North  Side  of  Deer  Sound  is  N.  W.  and  N.  W.  by  N.  by 
Compafs  (Variation  allowed  W.  by  N.)  We  founded  all  the  Way 
over,  and  had  no  Ground  with  a  Line  of  68  Fathom,  to  the  High 
Bluff  Land.  We  then  ran  up  a  Branch  of  the  main  River,  and  found- 
ed, and  found  50  Fathom  one  third  over  that  Branch.  There  were 
feveral  Iflands  in  it ;  founded  about  a  League  off  an  Ifland  on  the 
North  Side,  and  found  3  o  Fathom  Water.  In  running  between 
the  Iflands  and  the  fuppofed  Main,    which  was  on  the  Weft  Side 

of 


(  87  ) 

of  that  Branch,  the  Tide  or  Frellies  fuddenly  turned  againft  us, 
the  Boat  altering  the  Land  very  much  before  ;  founded  near  fome 
of  the  Iflands,  and  had  no  Ground  at  68  Fathom  ;  as  we  run  up  it, 
we  founded  near  a  fmall  Ifland,  and  had  29  Fathom.  We  fleered 
W,  N.  W.  between  the  Iflands,  and  the  Weft  Land  by  Compafs 
(W.  by  S.)  there  being  feveral  Iflands  in  the  fair  Way,  and  no 
Ground  in  the  Middle  of  the  Channel  at  68  Fathom.  We  went 
about  1 5  Leagues  above  Deer  Sound,  and  faw  a  Frefh  or  Run  of 
Water  coming  againft  us  ;  and  the  Wind  being  fair,  I  was  afraid  of 
ftaying  any  longer  for  fear  of  hindering  the  Ships  from  going  to 
Sea.  There  is  a  great  Probability  of  an  Opening  on  the  Weft 
Side,  by  the  coming  in  of  the  Whales ;  but  I  could  not  go  higher 
up  to  try  it  for  the  above  mentioned  Reafons. 

We  went  to  the  Top  of  a  high  mountainous  Land,  fi-om  whence 
we  faw  a  great  Run  or  Fall  of  Water  between  the  Weft  Land 
and  the  Iflands,  it  was  very  narrow,  feemingly  not  a  Mile  broad, 
and  at  the  fame  time  faw  a  fair  Channel  or  Streight  to  the  North- 
wards of  the  Iflands,  with  Lands  on  both  Sides,  as  high  as  the 
Cape  of  Good  Hope,  running  away  to  the  Weftward,  with  many 
Bluff  Points  and  broken  Lands,  In  coming  down  we  faw  feveral 
very  large  black  Whales  playing  about  the  Boat  and  in  Shore. 

Aug.  I.   1742.  John  Rankin. 

This  being  aftrong  Proof  of  an  open  fair  Channel  or  Sti'eight 
going  to  the  Southward  of  a  Weft,  the  Captain  thought  it  too  fla- 
grant, and  therefore,  there  being  fome  httle  Variation  between  his 
Account  and  the  Mafter's,  made  them  cook  up  the  following  Re- 
port between  them,  which  both  were  to  fign,  which  being  not  lb 
particular,    did  not  appear  fo  ftrong  for  the  PaflTage  :    It  run  in 

thefe  Words. 

« 

Piirfuant  to  an  Order  from  Captain  Chriftopher  Middleton, 
Commander  of  his  Majeffs  Ship  the  Furnace,  bearing  Date 
the  2jth  of  July,  1742. 

■  E  whofe  Names  are  hereunto  fubfcribed,  took  the  Furnace'^ 
fix  oar'd  Boat,  and  went  from  Savage  Sound,  where  his 
Majefty's  Ships  Furnace  and  Difcovery  then  lay  ;  and  on  the  28th 
at  one  in  the  Morning  arrived  at  Deer  Sound,  where  we  tried  the 

I  Tide, 


(  88  ) 


Tide,  and  found  the  Flood  came  into  that  Place  from  the  River 
Wager ^  and  rofe  at  that  Time  i  o  Feet ;  at  fix  o'  Clock  the  fame 
Morning  we  left  Deer  Sound  (where  we  put  the  two  Northern /«- 
ti;a?2s  afhore  to  kill  fome  Deer)  and  failed  for  a  high  Bluff  Land 
on  the  North-weft  Side  of  the  River  Wager.  Our  Courfe  from 
the  Iflands  on  the  North  Side  of  Deer  Sound,  to  the  High  Bluff 
Land,  was  N.  W.  by  N.  by  Compafs  -,  we  founded  fi-equently, 
and  had  no  Ground  with  a  Line  of  68  Fathom  all  the  Way  over. 
When  we  were  abreaft  of  the  High  Bluff  Land,  we  fteered  W. 
N.  W.  keeping  the  Mid-Channel,  and  flill  found  no  Ground  at 
68  Fathom,  except  nigh  fome  Iflands  that  lay  in  the  fair  Way,  a- 
bout  one  third  over  the  River,  and  30  Fathom  within  a  League  of 
one  of  them  ;  this  Courfe  we  kept  until  we  got  about  1 5  Leagues 
from  Deer  Sound ;  but  finding  the  Tide  or  Frefh  againft  us,  and 
the  Wind  coming  fair,  we  were  afraid  of  ftaying  any  longer,  for 
fear  of  hindering  the  Ships  going  to  Sea.  However,  we  came  to 
a  Grapnel  with  the  Boat,  and  went  upon  a  high  mountainous 
Land,  where  we  had  a  very  fair  View  of  the  River  ;  from  thence 
we  faw  a  great  Run  or  Fall  ot  Water  between  the  fuppos'd  Main- 
land and  the  aforefaid  Ifland,  very  narrow,  feemingly  not  a  Mile 
broad,  and  about  a  League  from  where  the  Boat  lay  ;  but  to  the 
Northward  we  difcovered  a  large  CoUedlion  of  Water,  in  which 
were  feveral  Iflands  and  high  mountainous  Land  on  both  Sides  of 
it,  the  Weft  Side  of  it  having  many  Bluff  Points  and  broken  Lands. 
In  our  Return  towards  the  Ships,  and  not  far  from  Deer  Souftd, 
we  faw  feveral  large  black  Whales  of  the  Whalebone  Kind,  fome 
of  which  came  very  near  the  Boat ;  fo  that  upon  the  whole,  we 
think  there  may  be  fome  other  Paffage  into  the  Sea  from  the  Ri- 
ver Wager,  befides  that  which  his  Majefty's  Ships  Furnace  and 
Dlfcovery  came  in  at  ;  and  imagine  there  is  a  great  Probability  of 
an  Opening  or  Inlet  into  the  Sea  fomewhere  on  the  Eaft  Side  there- 
of, tho'  we  cannot  fix  the  Place.  Given  under  our  Hands  this 
firft  Day  of  Augiiji,   1742. 

John  Rankin. 

Robert  Wilfon. 

It  may  be  eafily  feen  with  what  View  that  Report  was  altered, 
the  moft  material  Points  being  changed  :  For  when  they  got  be- 
yond the  N.  W.  Bluff,  inftead  of  faying  that  the  Current  or   Frefla 

fuddenly 


I  89  ) 

fuJdenly  turned  ngalnil  them  ;  it  is  here  faid,  being  againfl  them, 
the  fir  ft  being   a   Tide,  the    other  a  Stream.     Again,    inftead    of 
mentioning  a  fair  Channel  or  Streight  over  the  Jflands,  running 
between  high  Lands  to  the  Weftward  ;  it  is  here  altered,  to   a 
large  Colled;ion  of  Water  to  the  Northward,  in  which  were  feve- 
ral  Iflands,  with  high  Land  on  each  Side  of  it,  the  Weft  Side  ha- 
ving Bluff"  Points  and   broken  Lands,    without   determining  the 
Courfe  of  the  Streight  to  the  Weftward.     And  inftead  of  fiying 
there  was  a  great  Probability  of  an  Opening  on  the  Weft  Side,  by 
the  coming   in  of  the  Whales ;    it  is  here  altered  to.  Upon  the 
whole,  we  think  there  may  be   fome  other  Paflage   into  the   Sea 
from  the  River  IVagcr,    befides   that  which   his  Majefty's  Ships 
came  in  at,  without  determining  it  to   the  Weftward,    as  in  the 
other  ;  but  on  the  contrary,  to  make  it  feem  otherwife,  they  fay, 
^nd  imagine^    there  is  a  great  Probability  of  an  Opejiing  or  Inlet 
into  the  Sea,  fomeivhere  on  the  Eajl  Side  thereof,    tho'  ive  cannot 
fix  the  Place.     This  Change  feems  wholly  calculated  with  a  View 
to  leave  it  undetermined,    that  the  Captain  might  have  it  in  his 
Power  to  fiy  that  the  Open  was  from  the  Northward  or  Eaftward 
from  Bafifi's  Bay,  and  pretend  that  the  Whales  came  from  thence. 
But  both  the  Lieutenant  and  Mafter  have  fince  confirmed,  that  the 
Streight  beyond  the  Iflands   was  four   or  five  Leagues  wide,  free 
from  Ice,  and  its  Courfe  ran  W.  S.  W.  and  the  Mafter  having  feen 
further  than  the  Lieutenant  from  the  Top  of  the  Mountain  where 
he  killed  two  Deer,  was  for  going  further  ;    but  the  Lieutenant, 
his  ProvifioHS  being  fpent,  and  he  having  exceeded  his  Orders  by 
1 5  Leagues  at  leaft  (for  he  computed  it  20  League?,  but  the  Cap- 
tain would  not  allow  it  to  be  fo  far)  and  had  alfo  outllay'd  his  Time, 
he  was  afraid  he  fliould  be  put  in  arreft  if  he  proceeded  farther, 
and  durft  not  proceed.     Plowever,  he  took  a  Bottle  of  Water  fil- 
led  there  at  the  Shore,    and  two  Bottles  filled  further  down  the 
Streight  Eaftward  ;    and  the  Captain,  when  he  came  on  board, 
ovv^n'd  that  the  Bottle  of  Water  taken  up  at  the  Weftcrn  End  of 
the  Streight,  near  the  Current  or  Fall  of  Water,  was  the   fiftteft, 
which  the  Mafter  faid  was  as   Salt  as  any   he  had  tafted  in  thole 
Seas,  which  was  alfo  confirmed  by  others  who  tailed  it  on  board  ; 
the  Lieutenant  is  now  convinced   that  it  was  a  Tide  or  Ripling 
which  came  from  the  W.  S.  W.  which  ftoptthe  Way  of  the  Boat, 
and  made  them  come  to  a  Grapnel,  and  that  it  was  the  Tide  of 

N  Flood ; 


(9°) 

•  Flood  ;  for  it  was  then  flowing  Water,  and  flowed  6  Feet  when 
he  was  afliore  :  But  the  Captain,  under  Pretence  it  was  brackifh, 
would  not  puriue  the  Difcovery  of  that  South-weftern  Streight  or 
PaiTage,  but  immediately  warped  out  of  the  Cove,  and  on  the  4th 
of  Augtiji,  the  beft  Month  in  the  Year  to  perfe(ft  the  Difcovery,  he 
failed  out  of  the  River  to  make  the  Difcovery  North-eaflward, 
the  quite  contrary  Courfe  he  fliould  have  taken  according  to  his 
Inftrudlions  :  Nor  did  he  call  a  Council  to  warrant  him  for  quit- 
ting the  Difcovery  j  tho'  on  all  Emergencies,  or  where  it  was  like- 
ly to  turn  out  of  Advantage  in  promoting  the  Difcovery,  he  was 
diredted  to  call  one,  and  a6l  for  the  befl  of  the  Service  he  went 
upon,  but  quit  the  PafTage  without  Advice,  by  hii  own  Authori- 
ty and  Pleafure  ',  pretending  all  the  while  he  was  in  the  Paflage, 
to  regret  that  he  could  not  get  out  of  the  River,  for  the  Ice  in  it 
and  the  Welcome,  in  order  to  profecute  the  Difcovery.  After  this, 
in  order  to  have  an  Excufe,  and  to  pretend  that  he  had  followed 
his  Infl:rudions,  which  was  to  proceed  without  Lofs  of  Time  to 
Whalebone  Point,  and  there  to  endeavour  to  meet  the  Tide  of 
Flood  on  either  Side  of  that  Point  he  found  the  beft  Paflage,  in 
cafe  it  were  an  Ifland,  whether  the  Flood  came  from  the  North- 
weft  or  Southweft  ;  and  if  he  found,  after  doubling  that  Cape, 
either  a  Streight  or  open  Sea  to  purfue  his  Courfe,  ftill  meeting  the 
Tide  of  Flood  ;  tho'  this  limited  him  to  meet  the  Tide,  if  it  came 
from  any  Part  to  the  Weftward,  yet  he  finding  that  the  Tide 
did  not  meet  him,  but  followed  him  into  Wager  River,  and  hav- 
ing taken  no  Pains  to  know  how  tlie  Flood  was  at  the  Weft  End 
of  the  Streight  beyond  Deer  Sound,  defpifing  the  Lieutenant's  firft 
Report,  which  mentioned  a  Tide  from  the  W.  S.  W.  meeting 
them,  thought,  if  he  could  find  a  Tide,  or  have  a  Probability  to  ac- 
count for  a  Tide's  coming  from  the  North-eaftward  into  Wager 
River,  he  might  then  fay  he  followed  his  Inftruftions  in  meeting 
the  Tide,  altho'  it  came  from  the  N.  E.  and  accordingly,  with- 
out allowing  any  Boat  to  go  alhore  to  try  the  Tide,  until  he  him- 
felf  landed  at  Cape  Frigid,  at  what  he  calls  the  frozen  Streight : 
He  in  his  Journal  from  his  own  Obfervations  of  the  Current,  al- 
ways affirms  the  Tide  of  Flood  came  from  the  N.  E.  by  Cape 
■Hope,  to  Wager  River,  and  affii'ms  that  at  Cape  Frigid  a  W.  by 
S.  Moon  made  high  Water,  and  that  it  flowed  firom  the  South- 
eaftward  through  a  fi-ozen  Streight,  from  four  to  feven  Leagues 
1  wide. 


(  91   ) 


wide,  and  accordingly  he  has  laid  it  down  fo  In  his  new  Chart 
fince  his  Return,  and  pointed  all  the  Darts  in  it,  fliewing  the 
Courfe  of  the  Flood,  through  that  frozen  Streight  up  into  JVager 
River,  and  as  far  as  Brook  Cobham  along  the  Welcome^  where  he 
pretends  the  South-eaftern  Tide  meets  it. 

Now  I  fiiall  plainly  make  it  appear  from  Reafon,  and  from  the 
Obfervations  of  experienced  Men  on  board  him,  his  own  Officers ; 
and  from  his  Caution  in  preventing  any  on  board  him,  from  know- 
ing the  Time,  Current,  and  Height  of  the  Tide,  by  his  making 
his  Obfervations  only  on  board,  and  regulating  and  minuting  th.eni 
down  in  the  Logg  Book  and  Journal  as  he  thought  proper  ;  that 
there  was  no  fuch  Tide  from  the  North-eaft,  and  that  he  muft 
have  known  that  there  was  no  fuch  Tide,  but  endeavoured  to 
conceal  the  true  Tide  from  his  People  on  board  ;  I  fhall  alfo  flievV, 
that  the  Tide  of  Flood  came  the  contrary  Way  from  the  South- 
weflward  near  Brook  Cobham,  and  fo  went  up  Part  of  JVager  Ri- 
ver ;  I  fhall  alfo  fhew,  there  was  no  fuch  frozen  Streight  as  he  has 
laid  down  in  his  Chart,  but  the  whole  is  falfely  laid  down,  and  the 
only  Streight  there  was  round  the  Ifland  he  ftood  upon,  which 
was  but  three  Leagues  wide,  and  full  of  fmaller  Ifiands,  which 
Streight  went  round  the  Ifland  from  the  North  by  the  Eaft,  and 
came  out  again  by  the  South  and  Weft,  between  the  Ifland  he 
was  on,  and  the  low  Beach  oppofite  to  Cape  Hope  -,  fo  that  to 
make  out  that  Point,  that  he  had  fo  far  followed  his  Inflirudlions 
in  meeting  the  Tide  of  Flood,  he  has  manifeftly  and  falfely  im- 
pofed  upon  the  Publick  in  his  Chart,  by  making  a  Streight  and. 
Tide  where  there  were  none. 

To  fhew  that  he  has  given  a  falfe  Account  of  this  Tide  and  frozen 
Streight,  I  muft  obferve,  that  when  he  fent  down  the  Lieutenant 
and  Mafter  to  look  out  for  a  Cove  at  the  Mouth  of  Wager  River, 
they  were  inclofed  in  the  Ice,  and  drew  up  their  Boat  upon  a  large 
Piece  of  Ice,  which  was  carried  by  the  Tide  of  Ebb  to  the  South- 
eaftward,  clofe  by  the  Shore  about  Cape  Dobbs,  and  w^hen  the 
Tide  flack'd,  they  row'd  over  with  the  Flood  to  the  Nortii  Shore, 
to  get  into  the  Eddy  out  of  the  Current,  and  next  Day  went  up 
the  River.  Again,  when  the  Ships  failed  out  of  the  River,  they 
were  becalm'd,  and  were  afraid  of  being  forced  up  again  by  the 
Return  of  the  Flood  ;  upon  which  they  towed  with  their  Boats 
a-head,  and  plied  with  the  Ships  Oars  with  all  tlieir  Force  to 

N  2  the 


(  9^  ) 

the  North-eaflwarJ,  to  get  out  of  the  Way  of  the  Tide  of  Flood  j 
but  if  the  Flood  had  come  from  the  N.  E.  they  would  have  been 
jufl  in  the  Way  of  the  Tide  of  Flood,  and  to  have  avoided  it, 
they  ought  to  have  ileer'd  their  Courfe  S.  E.  to  Cape  Dobbs ;  fo 
that  both  thefe  Accounts  tally,  that  the  Flood  came  from  the  S. 
W.  round  Cape  Dobbs.  At  half  an  Hour  after  two,  on  the  6th 
of  Aiigiijl,  lie  ordered  the  Lieutenant  on  Shore  at  the  low  Beach, 
to  try  the  Tide,  being  then  four  Miles  from  the  Shore ;  at  three 
he  made  the  Signal  for  him  to  come  on  board  before  he  got  to  the 
Shore,  but  he  v/as  fo  near  as  to  report  that  the  Tide  had  fallen 
two  Feet ;  fo  that  he  feemed  to  repent  his  having  fcnt  him  to  try 
the  Tide,  left  he  fliould  find  a  contrary  Tide  to  what  he  gave  out. 
And  tho'  the  Lieutenant,  when  he  got  aboard,  told  him  it  v/as  eb- 
bing Water,  and  that  the  Ebb  went  to  the  South-weftward,  yet 
he  minuted  it  down  in  his  Logg-Book,  and  printed  it  fo  in  his  De- 
fence, that  it  v/as  flowing  Water,  and  the  Flood  came  from  the 
Eaflward  ;  but  in  his  Journal,  he  fays  it  had  ebbed  two  Feet,  and 
the  Flood  came  from  the  Eaflward. 

The  Captain,  Clerk,  Gunner  and  Carpenter  went  afliore  at  Cape 
Frigid  the  8th  of  Augujl,  about  ten  in  the  Morning,  and  after 
going  fifteen  Miles  into  the  Country,  returned  to  the  Boat  about 
feven  at  Night,  when  he  found  it  was  low  Water,  and  rofe  15 
Feet,  which  being  three  Days  and  a  half  after  the  full  NIoon,  a 
W.  S.  W.  Moon  made  low  Water,  and  confequently  a  N.  N.  W. 
Moon  made  high  Water  ;  and  having  afcertained  that  a  W.  by  N. 
Moon  made  high  Water  in  TVager  River,  the  Tide  at  Cape  Fiigid 
being  five  Points  later,  could  not  raife  that  Tide  ;  for  the  Tide  the 
farther  it  flows,  is  always  the  later  in  flowing  ;  and  therefore  the 
Tide  in  Wager  River  being  at  leaf!  three  Hours  fooner  than  at  Cape 
Frigid,  it  could  not  poffibly  be  caufed  by  any  Tide  from  thence  ; 
nor  could  the  Tide  near  Brook  Cobham,  where  a  Wefb  Moon  made 
high  Water  be  caufed  by  that  Tide  for  the  fame  Reafon,  it  being 
above  four  Hours  fooner  than  the  Tide  at  Cape  Frigid. 

It  appears  alfo  that  there  was  no  Tide  nor  Current  in  the  Bay 
above  Cape  Hope,  and  the  Gunner,  who  was  afhore  with  the  Cap- 
tain, went  with  the  Carpenter  2  or  3  Miles  farther  than  the  Cap- 
tain and  Clerk,  even  to  the  very  Shore  of  what  he  called  the  Fro- 
s;en  Sir  eight,  and  confequently  knew  it  better  than  the  Captain  ; 
he  fays  it  was  an  Ifland  they  were  upon,  and  the  Streight  was  only 
2  an 


(93  ) 


an  Arm  of  the  Sea  that  furrounded  the  Ifland,  and  detached  it  from 
the  Low  Beach  -,  that  it  was  not  above  3  Leagues  wide  on  the 
Eaft  Side,  and  full  of  Ifland s,  and  the  Ice  was  frozen  fafl  from  Side 
to  Side  ;  fo  that  it  is  impoffible  fo  great  a  Quantity  of  Water  could 
flow  through  that  Pafl"age,  if  it  had  a  Communication  with  Hitd- 
Jbn's  Streight  by  Cape  Comfort,  as  would  fill  fo  large  a  Bay  as  that 
above  Cape  Hope,,  (the  Streight  from  Cape  Hype  to  IFager  River) 
all  that  River,  for  thirty  or  forty  Leagues,  which  was  from 
4  to  12  Leagues  wide,  and  the  whole  Coafl:  of  the  Welcome 
to  Brook  Cobhntn,  for  above  60  Leagues,  and  that  from  a  Streight 
which  was  but  3  Leagues  wide,  and  had  many  Iflands  in  it ;  fo 
that  the  Streight,  exclufive  of  the  Iflands,  was  not  probably  four 
Miles .  wide  :  Befides,  had  fo  much  Water  flowed  through  that 
Streight,  as  he  has  laid  it  down  in  his  Chart,  it  mufl;  have  caufed 
a  very  rapid  Current  in  the  Bay  above  Cape  Hope,  it  being  in  the 
dire6i  Courfe  of  the  Tide.  The  Captain  of  the  Difcovery  alfo  in 
his  Anfwer  allows,  that  the  Opening  of  the  Streight  he  faw,  which 
was  betwixt  Cape  Frigid  and  the  Lo%v  Beachy  was  not  above  three 
Miles  wide,  and  no  fuch  Tide  flowed  there  as  in  Wager  River,  al- 
tho'  it  was  fo  narrow  in  that  Place. 

This  alfo  accounts  for  that  Arm  of  the  Sea's  being  frozen  which 
furrounded  the  Ifland,  becaufe  there  was  no  Tide  or  Current  there 
to  break  it  up.  It  alfo  appears  from  the  Lieutenant,  who  was  left 
on  board  to  command  when  the  Captain  went  afhore,  that  at  ele- 
ven of  the  Clock,  after  the  Captain  left  the  Ship,  a  ftrong  Current 
forced  him  to  Northward,  which  mufl:  have  been  the  Flood,  as  it 
was  not  high  Water  until  near  one  of  the  Clock.  And  it  appears 
alfo  the  fame  from  the  Men  who  were  left  with  the  Boat ;  for  upon 
the  Captain's  Return  to  the  Boat,  he  aflc'd  them  which  way  the 
Flood  fet,  and  they  faid  to  the  Northward,  which  he  contradidled, 
and  fiid  they  were  mifl;aken,  for  it  could  not  be  fo.  So  that  from 
all  thefe  Fafts,  as  well  as  from  Reafon,  it  appears  that  the  Tide 
of  Flood  came  from  the  South-weftward  to  that  Place  and  the  Ri- 
ver Wager,  and  that  the  Tide  and  Streight  which  he  has  laid  down 
in  his  Chart,  and  publiflied  in  his  Journal,  is  falfe,  and  an  Impo- 
fition  upon  the  Fublick,  and  only  calculated  to  ferve  his  Purpofe  of 
concealing  the  Pafllige,  by  endeavouring  to  make  out  that  no  Tide 
came  from  the  Wefl:ward,  but  all  through  HudJo7i's  Streight,  or 
Bajin's  Bay,    and  that  Wager  was  a  frefli  Water  River,    and  that 

the 


(  94  ) 

the  Whales  feen  there  came  all  in  through  that  frozen  Strelght  from 
Baffiji'i  Bay  or  Qimberland's  Inlet,  he  having  allowed  that  none 
came  in  through  Hudfofi's  Streight,  or  round  Gary's  Swan's  Neji. 

But  as  a  further  Confirmation  of  this  South-weftern  Tide,  and 
that  it  came  from  the  Weflern  Ocean,  it  appears,  that  after  the 
Captain  had  neglected  looking  into  the  Bays  and  Inlets  in  the  Weft 
Side  of  the  Welcome,  from  Cape  Dobbs  to  Marble  IJlandy  (altho'  it 
had  been  ordered  in  Council)  in  thefe  Words :  "It  was  agreed 
"  upon  to  make  the  beft  of  our  Way  out  of  this  cold,  dangerous, 
"  and  narrow  Streight,  and  to  make  further  Obfervations  between 
"  the  Latitudes  of  64°.  and  62°.  on  the  North  Side  of  the  TFel- 
"  come  J  having  feen  large  Openings,  broken  Land  and  Illands, 
"  with  llrong  Tides,  but  had  not  an  Opportunity  of  trying  from 
"  whence  the  Flood  came  in  our  Paffage  hither."  Given  under  our 
Hands  this  7th  of  Auguji  1742. 

C.  Middleton. 
y.  Rankin. 
W.  Moor,  Mafter  of  the  Difcovery.  Rob.  Wiljon. 

Geo.  Axx. 
y.  Hodgton. 

When  he  came  to  Marble  IJland,  which  he  then  called  Brook 
Cobham,  having  called  another  Ifland  fo  upon  his  going  North- 
ward, the  fame  Fox  had  called  fo  before,  on  the  12th,  at  3  in  the 
Morning,  he  fent  the  Lieutenant  afhore  to  try  the  Tide,  and  to 
look  out  for  a  Place  of  Safety  to  water  the  Ships  before  they  re- 
turned to  England.  The  Ifland  was  7  Leagues  long,  and  3  over, 
in  the  broadeft  Place.  It  lay  E.  by  S.  and  W.  by  N.  the  true  bear- 
ing Variation  allowed,  and  about  3  Leagues  from  what  they  called 
the  Weflern  Main.  The  Lieutenant  on  the  South  Side  found  an 
excellent  Cove,  fafe  from  all  Winds,  with  a  fmall  Ifland  lying  crofs 
the  Entrance.  He  founded  without  and  within  the  Cove,  and 
found  two  and  a  Half  Fathom  in  the  Entrance  at  low  Water,  and 
deep  and  fafe  lying  within  it.  Whilft  he  was  founding,  taking  a 
Draught  of  the  Cove,  and  upon  the  Ifland  taking  a  View  of  an 
Opening,  he  obferv'd  on  the  Wefl  Main  ;  the  Indians  killed  a  Deer 
and  white  Bear,  and  about  eight  at  Night,  as  they  were  taking  off 
the  Bear's  Skin,   a  flrong  Tide  of  Flood  came  from  the  North- 

wefl 


(  95  ) 

weft  by  the  Compafs,  and  had  ahnoft  carried  the  Bear  away,  wliich 
proves  that  the  Tide  of  Flood  came  from  the  Weflward.  This  I 
fliall  give  in  his  own  Words,  as  he  minuted  it  down  at  Marble 
IJland  at  the  time  it  happened,  annexed  to  the  rough  Draught  he 
had  made  of  the  Cove,    viz. 

This  is  the  Cove  upon  Brook  Cobham  or  Marble  IJland,  it  was 
almoft  dark,  my  Men  were  taking  the  Skin  off  the  Bear  they  had 
killed  in  the  Water. 

The  Tide  came  fuddenly  from  W.  N.  W.  round  the  North- weft 
End  of  the  Ifland  upon  us,  and  flowed  fo  faft,  that  we  had  almoft 
loft  the  Bear  ;  we  were  forced  to  throw  it  into  the  Boat,  my  Men 
up  to  the  Middle  in  Water  by  the  fudden  Flowing  of  the  Tide,  as 
all  the  Men  can  prove. 

I  am  very  certain  that  there  is  a  great  Probability  of  a  PafTage  or 
Streight  leading  to  fome  Weftern  Ocean  from  the  above  Reafon  ; 
for  I  did  obferve  an  Opening  to  the  Weft  ward  o{  Marble  IJland,  and 
defired  I  might  go  there,  but  he  told  me  it  did  not  fignify  much  to 
go  thith'cr  ;  but  if  I  had  a  mind  to  go  to  Marble  IJland  for  Water 
I  might,  fo  I  did  not  come  nigh  the  Opening  I  perceived  to  the 
Weft  ward.     It  was  almoft  calm  all  the  Day  we  lay  there. 

Augu/i  i2ihi   1742.  John  Rafikin. 

After  the  Lieutenant  returned  on  board, the  Mafter  was  fent  afhore ; 
upon  his  Return  he  told  him  the  Tides  rofe  there  fometimes  very 
high,  and  wanted  to  go  aftiore  again  to  obferve  them  ;  which  he 
refufed,  under  Pretence  he  had  ftaid  too  long  aftiore  before.  It  ap- 
pears from  the  Journal,  that  by  Marks  on  the  Shore  it  fometimes 
rofe  there  22  Feet. 

It  is  allowed  alfo  that  a  North- wefterly  Wind  at  Ckircbi'//  always 
raifed  the  Tide  higher  at  Neap  Tides  than  an  South-eafterly  Wind 
did  at  Spring  Tides. 

The  two  Northern  Indians  who  were  on  board  Captain  Middle- 
ton  were  very  intelligent  Men,  and  the  other  Indian  being  a  very 
bad  Interpreter  for  them,  Mr.  Thompfon,  the  Surgeon,  who  could 
fpeak  fome  of  the  Southern  Indian  Tongue,  was  endeavouring  to 
learn  their  Language,  and  to  teach  them  EngUp,  and  was  making 
out  a  Vocabulary  of  their  Language,  which  the  Captain  obferving, 

threatened 


(  96  ) 

threatened  to  ufe  him  ill,  or  crop  him,  in  cafe  he  had  any  Corre- 
ipondence  with  them  ;  fo  that  he  was  obliged  to  meet  them  in  pri- 
vate, and  for  that  Reafon  could  not  know  fo  much  from  them  as  he 
otherwife  would ;  but  by  the  bell  Account  he  could  get  from  them, 
they  told  him,  that  the  Copper  Mine  which  they  generally  went 
'  to  once  in  two  Years,  was  not  far  from  that  Coaft  where  they 
were,  between  Lat.  62°.  and  64".  that  it  was  upon  an  Arm  of  the 
Sea,  the  Water  being  fait ;  that  they  were  five  Days  in  pafling  it  in 
their  Canoes ;  that  it  was  fo  deep,  that  if  they  cut  a  Deer's  Skin 
into  Thongs,  it  would  not  reach  the  Bottom  ;  that  the  Streight 
went  towards  the  Sun  almoft  at  Noon,  and  that  there  were  many 
large  black  Fifh  m  it  fpouting  up  Water.  Lovegrove,  one  of  the 
Faftory  Men  at  Churchill,  who  had  been  often  at  Whale  Cove,  in 
Lat.  62°.  30'.  in  the  Company's  Sloop,  trading  for  Whale-fin  with 
tlie  Natives,  alfo  told  them,  that  the  Coaft  there  was  all  a  broken 
Land  and  Iflands,  and  that  upon  his  going  upon  one  of  thefe  Iflands, 
he  faw  an  open  Sea  Weftward  of  it.  Wilfon  alfo,  who  has  been 
Mafter  of  the  Sloop,  which  goes  to  Whale  Cove,  for  feveral  Years, 
told  at  Churchill,  that  he  had  the  Curiofity  to  pafs  in  through  thofe 
Iflands  near  the  Whale  Cove,  and  found  the  Opening  enlarge  itfelf 
South-weft,  and  became  fo  wide,  that  he  could  fee  no  Land  on 
either  Side.  Yet,  tho'  the  Captain  might  have  known  this,  and 
much  more,  which  he  had  from  Norton  and  Scrogg's  Crew,  as  well 
as  Accounts  from  the  Indians  before  this  Voyage  to  the  fame  Pur- 
pofe,  he  never  once  made  any  Efifay  to  land  upon  that  Weftern 
Coaft,  or  to  look  out  for  a  Weftern  Tide  or  Inlet. 

What  was  ftill  as  unpardonable  as  neglefting  the  Difcovery,  was 
his  putting  the  two  Northern /;z^/^m  afhore  on  Marl>le  I/Jand againd 
their  Liclinations,  when  they  were  defirous  to  come  to  England,  in 
a  very  bad  Boat  he  got  at  Churchill,  which  they  did  not  know  how 
to  manage,  in  an  Ifland  3  Leagues  from  the  fuppofed  Main,  the 
Ejkimaux  hidians,  their  Enemies,  living  upon  that  Coaft,  and  fome 
hundred  Miles  diftant  from  their  own  Country,  infomuch  that  one 
of  them,  who  was  about  40  Years  old,  when  he  parted  with  Mr. 
Thompfon  the  Surgeon,  with  Tears  told  him,  he  did  not  know 
what  would  become  of  them  ;  he  told  them  he  was  very  much 
concerned  at  it,  but  fince  it  was  the  Captain's  Pleafure,  it  muft  be 
Complied  with. 

The 


(97) 

The  Captain  gave  them  fome  Provifions,  Ammunition,  Hatchets 
and  Toys  ;  but  leaving  them  in  a  defolate  Ifland,  with  a  bad  Boat, 
among  their  Enemies,  at  fo  great  a  Diftance  from  their  own  Coun- 
try, was  unpardonable,  when  by  a  Day  or  two's  Sailing  to  the 
Southward,  he  could  have  landed  them  in  a  Country  they  knew, 
where  they  had  no  Enemies  to  be  afraid  of.  The  Excufe  he  made 
for  not  bringing  them  to  England  was,  that  upon  his  Return  his 
Friends  might  be  out  of  the  Admiralty,  and  as  he  had  no  Orders 
to  take  them  home,  they  would  be  left  a  Charge  upon  him  }  and 
when  they  learned  to  fpeak  Englijh,  they  would  be  talking  of  the 
Copper  Mine  and  PalTage,  and  would  put  the  Publick  to  the  Ex- 
pence  of  fending  out  more  Ships  in  queft  of  it.  And  this,  no 
doubt,  was  the  true  Reafon  for  that  Piece  of  Cruelty,  for  he  thought 
if  they  came  to  England,  he  fliould  not  be  able  to  conceal  the  Paf- 
fage. 

Whilft  he  was  returning  home  he  has  fometlmes  faid,  his  Cha- 
radler  was  fo  well  eilablilhed,  that  no  Man  afcer  him  would  ever 
attempt  to  difcover  the  Paflage  ;  fo  that  I  think  it  is  plain,  from 
every  Circumftance  of  his  Condudl  during  the  Voyage,  that  he 
wanted  to  make  his  Peace,  and  get  fuch  a  Reward  from  the  Com- 
pany, tho'  at  the  Expence  and  Lofs  of  the  Publick,  as  fliould  make 
him  eafy  afterwards,  without  his  making  any  more  uncertain  Voy- 
ages, by  his  flifling  the  Difcovery,  and  his  making  it  appear  im- 
pradlicable  for  any  other  to  undertake  it  with  any  Profped:  of  Suc- 
cefs  for  the  future ;  and  lince  his  Return  he  has  afted  accordingly, 
as  was  plain  from  his  correfponding  with  the  Company  even  be- 
fore he  got  to  London,  letting  them  know  he  had  conveyed  home 
one  of  their  Ships  from  the  Orkneys,  and  direfting  all  his  Crew 
not  to  mention  any  thing  of  the  Voyage  or  Difcovery  for  fome  time, 
which  was  done  with  a  View  of  clofing  upon  better  Terms  with 
the  Company,  by  letting  them  know  that  he  had  conduced  Matters 
fo,  that  he  had  it  in  his  Power  either  to  make  out  the  Paflage,  or 
flifle  it,  according  to  the  Manner  he  could  make  out  his  Journal 
and  Charts  j  and  it  is  plain,  from  the  Time  he  took  to  give  Co- 
pies of  his  Journal,  and  to  make  out  his  Chart,  that  it  was  de- 
layed until  they  had  fettled  every  thing  to  his  Liking,  and  then  he 
publifhed,  or  gave  out,  his  Chart  and  Journal,  with  the  Conceal- 
ment and  Difguifes  I  have  already  taken  notice  of,  making  all  tlie 
Coafl,   from   TFba/e  Cove  to  Cape  Dobbs,    to  be  a  continued  main 

O  Land, 


(  98  ) 


Land,  and  Wager  Streight  to  be  a  frefli  Water  River,  making  out 
his  frozen  Streight,  and  Fiood  coming  from  thence,  in  order  to 
make  all  Things  tally,  and  fhew  there  was  no  Tide  in  the  Bay 
from  the  Weftern  Ocean  of  America,  but  that  all  thefe  high  and 
rapid  Tides,  and  Whales  in  the  Bays  and  River  of  Wager,  come 
from  Hudfon's  Streights  or  Baji?i's  Bay,  through  his  finely  projected 
frozen  Streight,  which  was  to  anfwer  all  Difficulties.  Upon  this 
the  Hiidfoii's  Bay  Conipany  exulted,  and  faid.  Captain  Middleton 
had  not  only  not  found  a  PafTage,  but  that  he  had  flie  wnit  to  be  im- 
pradlicable  for  any  other  to  make  any  future  Attempt  with  any 
Profpedl  of  Succefs. 

Whilil  this  Scheme  was  going  on,  he  was  preparing  his  Jour- 
nal, making,  and  altering  his  Charts,  to  anfwer  his  Purpofe,  and 
fecuring  his  People  from  divulging  what  tliey  knew.  The  Mafter 
of  the  Difcovery  was  his  Coufin,  and  fome  faid  was  to  marry  his 
Daughter.  He  himfelf  had  got  great  Reputation  from  the  Royal 
Society  by  his  Obfervations  upon  Cold,  and  for  what  he  had  difco- 
vered  had  got  a  Medal  from  them.  He  was  upon  good  Terms  with 
the  Lords  of  the  Admiralty,  and  was  to  dedicate  his  Charts  and 
Difcoveries  to  the  King,  and  Noblemen  of  tlie  firfl  Rank,  as  well 
as  to  the  Lords  of  the  Admiralty  ;  fo  this  put  him  in  a  Condition 
of  ferving  his  Mafter,  Gunner,  &c.  in  fome  Time.  He  had  alfo 
recommended  his  Lieutenant,  and  thought  no  other  on  board  had 
Weight  enough  to  impeach  his  Proceedings,  which,  if  they  failed 
in,  would  ruin  their  Charafters ;  fo  that  fecuring  his  Officers,  he 
thought  he  had  all  Things  fafe  among  the  reil  of  his  Crew  ;  for 
thofe  on  board  him,  who  were  but  young  Seamen,  could  have  no 
Weight  againft  him ;  fo  all  he  had  to  do  was  to  lull  me  afleep, 
and  convince  me  that  there  was  no  Paffiige  :  For  as  he  knew  I  had 
the  Difcovery  much  at  Heart,  and  had  ftrong  Reafons  to  believe 
'there  was  a  PafTage,  which  he  had  always  before  confirmed  me  in,  it 
might  be  difficult  for  him  all  at  once  to  convince  me  that  there  Was 
none,  and  that  all  form.er  Journals  and  Accounts  were  falfe  j  how- 
ever, as  he  knew  I  had  a  good  Opinion  of  his  Capacity,  and  did 
not  doubt  his  Integrity,  feeming  alw.ays  zealous  before  to  promote 
the  Attempt,  which  had  occaiioned  my  recommending  him  as  a 
proper  and  experienced  Commander  to  undertake  the  Difcovery ; 
and  he  having  owned  to  me  the  Company's  endeavouring  to  bribe 
him  with  an  Offer  of  5000  /.  to  return  to  their  Service,  and  not 
1  go 


(  99  ) 

go  the  Voyage,  or  to  go  in  purfuit  of  it  to  Davis's  Streight,  or 
any  other  Way  but  that  he  was  ordered  upon,  he  thought  himfelf 
liire  of  my  not  doubting  his  Integrity,  and  therefore  lliould  be 
ready  to  Joeheve  whatever  Accounts  he  fliould  fend  me.  Accord- 
ingly, before  he  came  to  England,  he  fent  me  a  Letter  from  the 
Ork7ieys,  dated  September  17,  1742,  a  Duplicate  of  which  he  fent 
me  upon  his  Arrival  in  the  River,  wherein  he  gave  me  a  Ihort  Ab- 
ftradl  of  his  Voyage  from  Churchill  until  his  Return  to  Brook  Cob- 
hajn  and  the  Orkneys,  concealing  every  Article  that  made  for  the 
PafTage,  only  mentioning  the  Difficulties  he  was  in  by  the  Ice  in 
the  Welcome,  and  in  Wager  River,  affirming  it  to  be  a  frefli  Water 
River,  fiU'd  with  Ice,  and  that  he  flaid  fo  long  in  it  as  to  take  a 
Draught  of  it,  regretting  his  being  fo  long  confined  in  it,  that  he 
could  not  get  out  of  it  to  profecute  the  Difcovery  ;  and  faid,  (upon 
failing  out  Nor th-eaft ward,  getting  into  another  perilous  Streighf^ 
full  of  Ice,  and  afterwards  being  embayed  in  Lat.  66.  40'.  and  find- 
ing a  frozen  Streight,  from  whence  the  Tide  came,  from  the  South- 
eaftward,  through  iiZz<r^?z's  Streight,  which  flowed  1 5  Feet,  and 
a  W.  by  S.  Moon  made  high  Water,  and  it  not  being  likely  to 
break  up)  they  returned,  and  fearched  all  the  Well  Side  of  the 
WelcQt7xe,  clofe  in  to  the  Shore,  which  he  found  was  a  continuous 
Main-land,  tho'  there  were  feveral  deep  Bays  and  fmall  Iflands ;  and 
after  trying  the  Tides,and  finding  them  flill  come  from  the  Eaflward, 
and  having  no  Encouragement,  he  failed  from  Brook  Cobham  for 
Englatid ;  but  carelefly  faid,  in  coafling  along  the  Shore, he  faw  feve- 
ral black  Whales  near  Brook  Cobham  of  the  V/halebone  Kind  :  To 
which  Letter  at  large  I  refer  in  the  Appendix.  His  being  fo  certain 
that  Wager  was  a  frefh  Water  River,full  of  Ice,  into  which  the  Tide 
flowed  from  the  Eaflward,  and  that  the  whole  Coafl  was  a  Main- 
land from  thence  to  Brook  Cobham,  and  that  he  was  abfolutely  em- 
bayed above  Cape  Hope,  and  his  affirming  that  the  Tide  came  by 
Cape  Comfort,  through  Htidfon's  Streights,  and  his  new  frozen 
Streight  to  Wager  River,  all  which  I  believed,  as  I  did  not  doubt 
his  Veracity,  made  me  defpair  of  the  PafTage,  and  give  it  up, 
thinking  it  would  be  impradicable,  or  at  leaft  very  difficult,  in  cafe 
there  was  one  farther  North  than  67  Degrees :  However,  ?s  I 
found  a  Difficulty  in  accounting  for  a  Tide  at  the  frozen  Streiglit 
from  a  W.  by  S.  Moon,  fo  near  Cape  Comfort,  where  a  S.  by  E. 
Moon  made  high  Water,    and  could  not  account  how  fuch  rapid 

O   2  Tides 


(    loo  J 

Tides  as  he  mentioned  were  in  Wager  River,  could  come  through 
a  frozen  Streight,  and  could  not  know  how  the  Whales  came  to 
be  near  Brook  Cobham,  lince  none  were  ever  feen  in  any  other 
Part  of  the  Bay,  or  were  ever  feen  in  Hudfon's  Streights,  I  wrote 
him  a  Letter  the  20th  of  Odiober,  telling  him,  that  fince  he  was 
fure  it  was  a  Main -land  from  Brook  Cobham  to  JVager  River, 
and  that  it  was  a  frelh  Water  River,  and  that  there  was  no 
PafTage  above  Cape  Hope  to  near  Lat.  67°.  I  defpaired  of  there 
being  any  fafe  Paffage  farther  North  ;  but  as  I  could  not  account 
how  a  W.  by  S.  Moon  could  make  high  Water  at  the  frozen 
Streight,  when  a  S.  by  E.  Moon  made  high  Water  at  Cape  Com- 
fort fo  near  it,  and  could  not  account  how  the  Whales  came  to 
Brook  Cobham,  lince  they  were  no  where  elfe  in  the  Bay,  and  ne- 
ver were  i^ecn  in  Hudfon's  Streights ;  I  defired  him  to  anfwer  thofe 
two  Objedlions,  and  let  me  know  his  Opinion  upon  thofe  two 
Points,  and  to  fend  me  a  Copy  of  his  Journal,  and  the  Chart  of 
the  Coafts  he  had  difcovered,  and  defired  to  know  if  it  was  a  con- 
tinuous Coafl  on  the  Eaft  Side  of  the  Welcome  from  Carfs  Swan's 
Nef  to  the  frozen  Streight,  or  Iflands  ;  and  how  fo  great  and  ra- 
pid Tides  could  be  in  Wager  River,  as  to  run  at  the  Rate  of  five 
or  fix  Miles  in  an  Hour,  if  the  Streight  was  frozen  through  which 
it  came  ;  and  how  there  came  to  be  fo  much  Ice  in  the  Welcome 
this  Year,  fince  when  Button,  Fox,  and  Scroggs  were  there,  in 
the  fame  Month  of  July,  none  of  them  had  feen  any  Ice  there. 

Before  I  got  an  Anfwer  to  this  Letter,  I  had  a  Letter  dated  the 
I  ft  of  November,  from  Mr.  Lanrick,  a  Gentleman  who  had  been 
bred  a  Scholar,  and  I  had  recommended  him  to  Captain  Middle- 
ton  to  go  the  Voyage  :  He  had  ufed  him  well,  as  he  faid,  upon 
my  Recommendation,  but  more  probably  to  gain  his  good  Opini- 
on, thinking  him  capable  of  making  Obfervations  upon  the  Voy- 
age ;  and  that  I  might  depend  upon  what  he  might  relate. 

In  his  Letter  to  me,  he,  in  a  manner,  recited  the  fame  Parti- 
culars I  had  before  from  the  Captain,  as  if  it  had  been  penned 
by  the  fame  Hand,  only  Avith  this  particular  Addition,  that  they 
entered  the  Mouth  of  a  great  River,  which  was  quite  full  of  Ice,, 
juft  breaking  up  as  they  entered  it ;  that  it  was  in  fome  Places  four 
Leagues  wide,  and  in  others  lefs,  having  high  Lands  on  both  Sides, 
Avith  deep  Water  clofe  by  the  Rocks ;  that  at  firft  they  thought 
there  might  be  a  PafTage  through  that  Way  ;  but  finding  the  Flood 

came 


(   loi   ) 


came  from  the  Welcome,  they  knew  there  was  no  fuch  Thing  ; 
befides,  they  fent  up  the  Boat  fo  far,  that  they  could  fee  the  Stream 
or  frefh  Water  River  ;  this  alfo  feemed  to  confirm  me  that  it  was  a 
River,  tho'  this  Letter  was  probably  penned  by  the  Captain's  Or- 
der or  Knowledge  ;  for  after  he  had  clofed  his  Relation,  he  began 
this  remarkable  Paragraph. 

Sir,  This  Account  I  Piould  have  fent  you  before  now,  but  that 
the  Captain,  for  Rea/bns  to  himfeJf  bejl  known,  defired  that  none  of 
us  jhould  fay  any  Thing  relating  to  the  Difcovery  for  a  little. 

This  Paragraph,  however,  raifed  no  Doubts  in  me,  as  I  did  not 
doubt  the  Captain's  Veracity. 

About  the  Beginning  of  December  I  received  the  following  An- 
fwer  to  my  Letter  from  the  Captain,  which  I  fhall  deliver  in  his 
own  Words. 

SIR,  London,  Nov.  2yth,  1742. 

I  Had  the  Favour  of  yours  of  the  20th  ult.  which  happened  to 
lie  fome  Days  at  my  former  Habitation,  before  it  was  forwarded 
to  me,  and  I  fhall  tranfmit  you  the  Chart,  together  with  the 
Journal  and  other  Obfervations,  by  the  firft  convenient  Opportuni- 
ty ;  in  the  mean  time,  I  fhall  give  you  the  befl  Satisfadlion  I  am 
able,  with  relation  to  the  Difficulties  which  have  occurr'd  to  you  v 
and  firft,  'tis  to  be  noted,  that  all  the  Land  along  the  Eaft  Side 
of  the  Welcome,  from  the  64th  Degree  of  Latitude  to  the  frozen 
Streight,  is  one  continued  level  Land,  fomewhat  like  to  Dutigen- 
nefs,  low  and  fhingly.  The  great  Tides  you  mention,  which 
flows  up  the  River  Wager,  and  off  Cape  Dobbs,  comes  all  from 
the  frozen  Streight  E.  by  N.  by  Compafs,  according  to  the  Courfe 
of  the  new  Streight,  that  we  paffed  between  Cape  Dobbs  and 
Cape  Hope  ;  the  mean  Variation  between  the  faid  Capes  is  40°. 
Wefterly,  and  makes  the  true  Courfe  of  this  Streight  N.  40°. 
Eafterly  ;  the  faid  Streight  ends  to  the  Weftward  of  Cape  Hope, 
in  a  Bay  20  Leagues  deep,  and  15  Leagues  broad,  which  lies  W. 
N.  W.  by  the  true  Bearings  ;  and  we  very  carefully  furrounded  it, 
failing  up  to  the  very  Bottom,  within  two  or  three  Leagues,  and 
found  no  Appearance  of  a  Paffage  for  either  Tides  or  VefTels  ;  and 
all  the  Way  I  failed  from  Cape  Hope,  quite  down  to  the  Bottom 
of  this  Bay,  I  tried  the  Tides,  and  all  round,  found  neither  Ebb 
nor  Flood,  which  muft  have  appeared,  had  there  been  any.     The 

Land 


(    ^02    ) 

Land  was  all  very  high  and  bold,  afcending  Into  the  Country  to  a 
vaft  Heighth,  without  any  Breaks,  fo  that  had  there  been  a  Paf- 
fage  here,  we  could  not  have  miffed  of  it. 

With  regard  to  the  Tide,  which  you  think  would  have  been 
obftruded  from  flowing  fo  rapidly  to  Wager  River,  if  the  Streight 
was  froze  faft  from  Side  to  Side  ;  I  need  only  obferve  to  you,  that 
at  Churchill,  all  the  Winter,  the  Tide  ebbs  and  flows  up  the  Ri- 
ver in  the  fame  Manner  as  if  there  was  no  Ice,  being  lifted  every 
Tide  from  12  to  18  Feet,  all,  except  what  is  faft  to  the  Ground, 
and  falls  again  upon  the  Ebb,  tho'  eight  or  nine  Foot  thick  ;  now 
clofe  to  the  frozen  Streight  is  100  Fathoms  of  Water  or  more,  and 
probably  that  Depth  may  continue  the  whole  Length  ;  and  then 
there  is  a  Paffage  free  for  the  Flood  and  Ebb  to  pafs  without  lifting  j 
but  I  obferved  this  Ice  was  all  crack'd  round  the  Shores,  and  on  the 
Iflands  as  at  Churchill. 

You  feem  to  be  at  a  Lofs  how  to  account  for  the  black  Whales 
getting  to  Brook  Cobhajn,  if  they  do  not  pafs  and  repafs  by  Hud- 
Jon's  Streights  ;  now,  'tis  true  I  never  faw  any  above  20  Leagues 
up  Hudfon's  Streights,  but  I  have  traded  with  Indiafis  off  Not- 
tingham and  Diggs,  for  Whale-bone  frefh  taken  ;  for  my  own 
Part,  I  can't  think  thefe  Whales  came  round  Gary's  Swari's  Nejl, 
but  through  the  frozen  Streights  under  the  Ice,  for  we  faw  many 
of  them  in  Wager  River,  and  in  the  66th  Degree  of  Latitude ;  and 
thefe  may  not  come  through  Hudjon's  Streights,  but  to  the  North- 
ward, as  all  the  North  Side  of  Hudfon's  Streight,  appears  to  be 
broken  Land  and  Iflands  ;  and  Ciimberlajid' s  Bay,  Baffin's  Bay, 
and  Streight  Davis,  may  have  a  Communication  with  this  new 
frozen  Streight,  and  Whales,  &c.  may  come  from  thence. 

It  is  hardly  poffible  to  account  for  all  the  Difliculties  about  the 
Tides ;  for  tho'  it  flows  E.  S.  E.  at  Refolution,  and  S.  by  E.  at 
Cape  Diggs,  which  makes  five  Points  in  running  130  Leagues  ;  yet 
it  is  but  one  Point  in  going  down  to  Albany  and  Moofe  River  ;  for 
there  it  flows  South,  and  the  Diftance  is  250  Leagues.  .So  from 
Humber  to  Cromer  in  the  Lincolnjlnre  Coaft,  (as  I  mentioned  for- 
merly) is  but  14  Leagues,  and  at  one  Place  it  flows  W.  by  S.  at 
the  other  N.  W.  like  wile  from  the  frozen  Streight  to  Churchill,  is 
but  two  Points  Difference,  or  an  Hour  and  half  of  Time,  in  the 
Diftance  of  200  Leagues.     So  that  I  think  no  Rule  can  be  fixed 

where 


(   I03  ) 


where  Tides  flow  into  deep  Bays,  obftrufted  by  Iflands  or  Coun- 
ter Tides. 

The  Ice  I  met  with  in  the  Welcome,  was  moft  of  it  to  the 
Northward  of  all  the  Parts  before  difcovered  ;  fo  that  none  who 
went  before  me  could  have  feen  it,  for  moft  of  it  lay  to  the  North- 
ward of  Whalebone  Point,  and  every  Year  is  not  alike,  with  refpedl 
to  the  Wind  bringing  it  to  the  Southward  ;  and  it  is  entirely  di- 
retled  by  the  Winds  here,  as  well  as  in  all  other  Parts  of  the  Bay; 
in  our  Way  to  Churchill  there  was  lefs  Ice  than  ufually  happens, 
and  it  was  alfo  fooner  clear  in  the  Spring  by  1 5  Days  than  com- 
mon. 

Undoubtedly  there  is  no  Hope  of  a  Paflage  to  encourage  any 
further  Trial  between  Churchill  and  fo  far  as  we  have  gone  ;  and 
if  there  be  any  further  to  the  Northward,  it  muft  be  impalTable 
for  the  Ice,  and  the  Narrownefs  of  any  fuch  Outlet  in  67°.  or  68°. 
of  Latitude,  it  cannot  be  clear  of  Ice  one  Week  in  a  Year,  and 
many  Years,  as  I  apprehend,  not  clear  at  all. 

In  any  other  Attempts,  I  fhall  be  glad  to  give  you  all  the  AfTift- 
ance  I  can,  and  furnifti  you  with  any  other  Informations,  that  you 
may  think  needful  to  promote  your  Deflgn  ;  but  I  hope  never  to 
venture  myfelf  that  Way  again. 

My  Friends  being  out  of  the  Admiralty,  I  find  there  will  be  a 
great  deal  of  Difficulty  to  get  any  Thing  done  for  me  in  the  Navy 
at  prefent,  or  to  procure  any  other  Recompenfe  for  my  Lofs  thefe 
two  Summers,  in  leaving  the  Hiidfon's  Bay  Service,  where  I  fliould 
have  received  1400  /.  in  the  Time  that  I  have  acquired  160/.  in 
the  Government's. 

I  remain  with  great  Sincerity  and  Refpedl, 

Sir,  Tour  mojl  obliged  humble  Servant, 

Chrijlopher  Middlcton. 

P.  S.  The  Ejkimaux  and  the  Northern  Indians  I  had  with  me, 
are  utter  Strangers  to  each  other,  in  Manners  and  Language, 
neither  could  I  make  the  Ejkimaux  underftand  mc  by  the 
Vocabulary  \h2id  oithok'm  Hudfo?i's  St r eight. 

It  appears  from  this  Letter,  how  ufeful  it  was  for  him  to  have 
this  new  frozen  Streight  j  for  without  it  he  could  not  account 
for  the  great  and  rapid  Tides  at  Cape  Dobbs  and  Wager  River, 

and 


( 104  y 


and  at  Brook  Cobham,  the  Tide  from  Hudfon's  Streight  being  all 
loft  in  the  Bay,  and  could  not  poffibly  afterwards  raife  fuch  high 
Tides  in  the  Welcome  and  Wager  River ;  nor  could  he  give  any 
Reafon  why  Whales  fhould  be  at  Brook  Cobhaniy  or  how  they 
could  get  there,  without  coming  from  the  Weftern  Ocean,  but 
for  his  frozen  Streight  ;  fince  he  gives  up  their  coming  in  through 
Hudfon's  Streight,  and  alfo  is  convinced  they  did  not  come  round 
Carfs  Swan's  Neji  ;  and  as  a  further  Proof  that  they  came  through 
his  new  frozen  Streight,  he  difcovers,  what  he  had  concealed  be- 
fore, that  there  were  feveral  alfo  in  Wager  River,  and  fays  farther, 
that  they  were  alfo  feen  in  Lat.  66°.  which  was  to  make  me  be- 
lieve they  were  (ten  near  Cape  Hope  by  the  frozen  Streight  ;  tho' 
it  is  evident  from  his  Journal,  and  all  his  People  on  board,  that 
none  were  ever  ictn  there  ;  and  to  make  this  appear  more  pro- 
bable, he  fays,  the  Sea  at  the  North  Entrance  of  the  frozen  Streight 
was  above  loo  Fathoms  deep,  tho'  it  appears  both  from  Logg- 
Book  and  Journal,  that  thefe  Soundings  were  taken  in  the  Bay 
North  of  Cape  Hope,  and  when  they  came  near  Cape  Frigid  hy 
his  frozen  Streight,  in  the  Mid-Channel  between  that  and  Cape 
.Hope,  they  had  but  55  Fathoms;  and  as  they  went  nearer  it,  had 
48,  and  ftanding  in  flill  nearer  to  it,  had  Soundings  from  40  to 
27  Fathoms  ;  fo  that  what  he  mentions  of  the  Depth  of  the 
Streight,  was  not  only  at  random,  but  feems  to  be  contrary  to  Fadl, 
but  were  neceffary  to  be  believed  to  ferve  his  Purpofe  of  Hood- 
winking me  ;  and  tho'  he  owns  the  Difficulty  of  accounting  for 
the  Time  of  the  Tide  at  Cape  Frigid,  yet  he  endeavours  to  evade 
it,  by  fhewing  in  other  Inftances  where  different  Tides  met,  and 
in  Eddy  Tides,  Difficulties  not  eafily  accounted  for  ;  tho'  in  thefe 
the  Inftances  were  not  parallel.  For  the  Inflance  he  gives  of  its 
flowing  from  Refoliition  to  Diggs's  Ifle,  140  Leagues,  the  Length 
of  Hudfon's  Streight  in  five  Points,  or  3°.  48'.  and  being  but  one 
Point  or  48'.  in  flowing  to  Mcofe  River  250  Leagues,  is  a  grofs 
Impolition  •,  for  a  North  and  South  Moon  making  high  Water  at 
the  fame  Place,  a  North  Moon  makes  it  there,  which  is  17  Points 
Difference,  or  1  2  Hours  48  Minutes,  which  he  mufl  know  is  the 
Cafe  ;  and  yet  in  his  Letter  he  would  impofe  this  for  Faft,  that 
I  might  believe  there  was  nothing  to  be  known  from  the  Tide. 
Yet  as  he  dogmatically  alTerted,  that  there  was  no  Hopes  of  a  Paf- 
fage  ffom  ChiirchiJl  to  the  frozen  Streight,  but  all   was  a  Main- 

I  land  J 


(  loS  ) 

land  ;  fince  I  did  not  doubt  his  Veracity,  I  was  obliged  to  take 
his  Solution  to  my  Objedlions  as  the  beft  could  be  given  to  ac- 
count for  it.  And  accordingly  on  the  14th  of  December  I  anfwer- 
ed  his  Letter,  that  lince  no  other  Way  could  be  found  for  the 
Whales  to  come  into  that  Part  of  the  Bay  but  through  his  frozen 
Streight,  nor  for  the  Tide,  I  took  it  as  the  only  Solution  could  be 
given,  and  therefore  did  believe  he  had  done  as  much  as  could 
be  done,  in  his  Attempt  to  find  out  the  Paflage  ;  and  that  it  would 
be  to  no  Purpofe  to  look  for  it  farther  North,  as  the  Navigation 
would  be  too  difficult  and  dangerous  ;  but  as  he  promifed  to  affift 
me  in  any  other  Attempt,  I  defired  his  Afliflance,  by  informing 
me  of  what  he  knew  in  relation  to  the  Climate,  Coafts,  River, 
and  Trade  in  the  Bay,  that  I  might  prepare  Matters  to  attack  the 
Company's  Charter,  and  open  the  Trade,  which  I  thought  would 
be  of  great  Advantage  to  Britain,  by  making  Settlements  higher 
up  upon  the  Rivers  in  better  Climates,  and  by  that  Means  fecuring 
that  Country  and  Trade  fi^om  the  French. 

This  I  had  Reafon  to  hope  for  from  him,  becaufe  before  he  went 
upon  the  Voyage,  the  Company  had  done  all  they  poffibly  could 
to  have  diflreffed  him  in  the  Attempt  of  the  Difcovery  of  a  Paflage, 
even  fo  far  as  to  forbid  their  Governors  to  give  him  the  Ufe  of 
their  Ports,  and  when  applied  to  by  the  Lords  of  the  Admiralty, 
to  give  him  Afliftance,  they  only  allowed  their  Governors  to  give 
him  Afliftance  if  he  were  in  the  utmofl  Danger,  but  not  other- 
wife  ;  but  to  my  great  Surprize,  inftead  of  his  aflifting  me  as  he 
promifed  in  his  former  Letters  in  any  other  Attempt,  I  found  his 
Anfwer  calculated  to  ferve  the  Company,  and  fliew  it  to  be  im- 
prafticable  to  fettle  the  Lands,  or  lay  open  the  Trade  ;  unlefs  we 
could  difpofl"efs  the  French  of  Canada^  which  was  the  only  Me- 
thod to  fecure  the  Company  in  their  Monopoly  ;  and  this  he  faid 
was  the  principal  Thing  he  could  think  of  at  prefent,  for  his  In- 
difpofition  prevented  him  from  drawing  up  a  further  Account  of 
his  Voyage ;  and  he  had  nothing  material  farther  worth  imparting 
to  me,  except  a  Chart  of  the  whole  Bay  and  Streight,  which 
would  be  foon  engraved,  having  already  fent  his  Journal  and 
Obfervations.     His  Letter  I  fhall  give  in  his  own  Words,  viz. 


SIR, 


(  io6  ) 

SIR, 

Was  duly  favoured  with  yours  of  the  T4th  December,  and  am 
forry  I  could  not  return  my  Anfwer  fooner,  but  the  ill  State 
of  Health  that  I  labour  vmder  prevented  me  in  this,  as  well  as  in 
many  other  of  my  Affairs. 

It  gives  me  much  Satisfadllon  to  find,  that  you  approve  of  the 
Solutions  I  fent  in  regard  to  the  Difficulties  you  propofed  j  and 
that  you  are  convinced  1  have  done  all  that  was  neceffary  to  put 
the  Impaffability  through  thofe  Seas  to  the  Weft  ward  out  of  Que- 
ftion,  in  fuch  Manner  as  to  render  any  Attempt  needlefs  for  the 
future  ;  but  on  the  contrary,  I  {liould  have  been  infinitely  pleafed 
had  our  Expedition  fucceeded  according  to  the  Reafonablenefs  of 
your  Expedlations. 

I  have  ferioully  confidered  your  Propofition  of  laying  open  the 
Hiidfon's  Bay  Trade,  and  fettling  the  Country  higher  up,  upon 
thofe  great  Rivers  which  run  into  the  Bay  ;  and  tho'  I  may  agree 
with  you  in  the  great  Advantage  the  Publick  would  reap  from  fuch 
a  Settlement,  (could  it  be  made)  in  the  Obftrucftion  it  would  give 
to  the  .French,  both  as  to  their  Trade,  and  their  cutting  off  their 
Communication  with  the  MiJJilJippi  -,  yet  I  muft  declare  my  Opini- 
on, that  it  is  altogether  impradlicable  upon  many  Accounts ;  for  I 
cannot  fee  where  we  could  find  People  enough  that  would  be  wil- 
ling or  able  to  undergo  the  Fatigue  of  travelling  thofe  frozen 
Climates,  or  what  Encouragement  would  be  fufHcient  to  make 
them  attempt  it,  with  fuch  dangerous  Enemies  on  every  Side  ;  no 
Europeans  could  undergo  fuch  Hardflilps  as  thofe  French  that  in- 
tercept the  FngUJIi  Trade,  who  are  inur'd  to  it,  and  are  called  by 
us  Wood-runners,  or  Coiireiirs  de  Bois  ;  for  they  endure  Fatigues 
juft  the  fame  as  the  native  Indians,  with  whom  they  have  been 
mixed  and  intermarried,  for  two,  three,  or  more  Generations. 
As  to  the  Rivers  you  mention,  none  of  them  are  navigable  with 
any  Thing  but  Canoes,  fo  fmall  that  they  carry  but  two  Men,  and 
are  forced  to  make  Ufe  of  Land  Carriages  near  one  fourth  Part  of 
the  Way,  by  Reafon  of  Water-falls,  during  that  little  Summer 
they  enjoy. 

Out  of  1 20  Men  and  Officers  the  Company  have  in  the  Bay,  not 
five  are  capable  of  venturing  in  one  of  thefe  Canoes,  they  are  fo 
apt  to  overturn  and  drown  them  j  many  of  our  People  have  been 

twenty 


(  I07  ; 

twenty  Years  and  upwards  there^  and  yet  are  not  dextrous  enough 
to  manage  a  Canoe  ;  fo  there  would  be  no  tranfporting  People 
that  Way. 

Should  there  happen  a  Fi-ench  War,  the  beft  Step  we  could 
take  towards  rooting  them  out  of  America,  would  be,  in  the  firft 
Place  to  take  Canada,  which  I  make  no  queftion  might  be  done, 
if  attempted  in  a  proper  Manner,  and  at  a  right  Seafon  of  the  Year, 
Had  Sir  Ho'oenden  Walker  fucceeded  when  he  was  fent  upon  that 
Expedition,  it  would  undoubtedly  have  been  of  great  Advantage 
to  us ;  for  at  that  Time  the  French  were  not  one  tenth  Part  fo  nu- 
merous as  now,  that  they  have  intermarried  with  the  Natives, 
and  over-run  the  whole  Country  :  So  that  it  is  become  a  Matter  of 
infinite  Difficulty  to  root  them  quite  out  of  their  PofTeffions  and 
Trade  in  America. 

I  look  upon  Sir  HoveJiden's  Mifcarriage  in  his  Expedition,  to  be 
owing  to  this,  that  he  did  not  arrive  there  till  the  latter  End  of 
Augii/l,  at  which  Time  he  ought  to  have  been  returning  ;  and 
whenever  a  War  happens  again  with  Fraiice,  fliould  it  be  thought 
proper  to  attempt  the  taking  of  Canada,  we  ought  to  be  in  the 
River  St.  Laurence  by  the  firft  of  June  at  fartheft  j  and  as  to  the 
Difficulties  Sir  Hovenden  complained  of,  from  the  Uncertainties  of 
the  Currents,  Fogs,  &c.  they  are  fuch  as  we  make  no  Account  of 
conquering  in  Hud/on' s  Bay,  and  the  Streights,  where  they  are  cer- 
tainly greater. 

I  can  fet  the  Currents  and  Tides  in  any  Weather,  even  under 
a  Main-fail,  in  a  Storm  of  Wind,  fo  as  to  difcover  both  how  fafl 
and  upon  what  Point  of  the  Compafs  it  fets  :  And  then  as  to  ob- 
ferving  the  Latitude  in  foggy  Seafons,  I  have  feldom  mifi^ed  two 
Days  together,  if  it  be  tolerable  fmooth  Water,  as  you  will  find 
in  our  Journals.  Now  I  apprehend  that  the  Navigation  in  the 
River  aS^^.  Laurence  muft  be  attended  with  much  fewer  Inconveni- 
encies  than  in  Hiidfoji's  Streight ;  and  thofe  Coafts  where  we  have 
no  Soundings,  much  Ice,  great  Fogs,  with  ftrong  Tides  and  va- 
rious Currents. 

This  is  the  principal  Matter  that  I  can  think  of  at  prefent.  Had 
not  my  Indifpofition  prevented  me,  I  fliould  before  this  Time 
have  drav/n  up  fome  further  Account  of  our  late  Voyage  ;  but  I 
have  nothing  material  worth  imparting  to  you  farther,  except  a 
Chart  of  the  whole  Bay  and  Streight,  which  will  be  engraved  in  a 

P   2  little 


(   io8  ) 

iittle  Time  ;  for  you  already  have  my  Journals  and  Obfervations, 
as  well  as  the  Accounts  of  thofe  that  attempted  the  Difcovery  be- 
fore me. 

I  am  very  much  obliged  to  you  for  your  kind  Wifhes,  and  all 
the  Favours  you  have  conferred  on  me,  and  am  as  yet  quite  un- 
certain as  to  what  their  Lordfhips  intend  to  do  for  me  ;  they  treat 
me  with  great  Refpeft,  and  fuch  as  I  have  the  Honour  to  vilit, 
as  Lord  Winchelfea,  Lord  Baltimore,  and  Admiral  Cavendifi  have 
all  promifed  me  their  Favours. 

London,  Jan,  18.  Iain,  Sir, 

1742-3.  Tour  moji  obedient  hiitnble  Servant. 

Chrijiopher  Middleton. 

Before  I  got  this  Anfwer,  his  long  expedted  Journal  and 
Chart  of  fo  much  of  the  Bay  as  took  in  all  his  new  Difcovery  came 
to  hand,  about  the  i8th  of  January,  and,  to  my  agreeable  Sur- 
prize, I  found  many  Things  mentioned  in  the  Journal  which  I 
thought  very  material  to  prove  a  PafTage  which  he  had  altogether 
concealed  in  his  Letters  to  me,  and  found,  from  his  Journal,  that 
he  had  not  made  any  thing  like  a  Search  or  Difcovery  of  the  Coaft 
from  Cape  Dohbs  to  Brook  Cobham,  having  not  been  within  5  or  6 
Leagues  of  the  Head-lands,  and  pafTed  a  great  Part  in  the  Night, 
and  had  never  once  gone  afliore  to  look  for  any  Inlet,  or  to  try  the 
Height  and  Direftion  of  the  Tides ;  fo  that  all  the  material  Part 
of  the  Coaft,  where  the  PalTage  was  expefted,  had  never  beea 
look'd  into,  notwithftanding  he  had  good  Weather,  and  no  Ice, 
upon  his  Return  from  Wager  River  and  Cape  Hope.  But  what  fur- 
prized  me  moft  was,  that  he  fhould  have  been  fo  much  impofed 
upon  or  miftaken  (for  I  then  had  no  doubt  of  his  Integrity  or  Ve- 
racity) as  to  call  or  fuppofe  Wager  River  to  be  a  frefh  Water  River, 
when  it  increafed  as  he  went  up  it  from  2  to  7  or  8  Leagues  wide,, 
and  in  Depth  from  14  to  80  Fathoms,  and  that  it  was  full  of  large 
black  Whales  at  the  upper  End,  which  he  had  alledged  to  be  all 
frozen,  when  there  were  none  below,  or  without  the  River  ;  but 
I  ftill  imagined  his  Miftake  arofe  from  the  Tide's  coming  in  from 
the  Eaftward,  and  from  his  not  meeting  a  contrary  Tide  from  the 
Weftward  :  However,  as  thefe  Obfervations  from  his  Journal  gave: 
me  great  Hopes  that  he  had  been  in  the  PafTage  or  Streight,  with- 
out 


(   Jf09  ) 

out  his  knowing  it  to  be  fo,  and  -finding  that  no  Part  of  the  We- 
ilernCoaft  of  the  Welcome,  to  the  Southward  of  it,  had  been  look'd 
into  at  all,  and  obferving  that  there  was  fcarcely  any  Notice  taken 
in  the  Journal  of  what  the  Lieutenant  and  Mailer  had  obferved 
the  laft  time  they  had  gone  up,  altho'  they  went  1 2  Leagues  higher 
than  the  Captain  or  they  had  been  before,  only  faying  they  had 
fearched  every  Inlet,  and  ftill  found  the  Tide  came  from  the  Eaft- 
ward,  and  faw  a  great  many  black  Whales.  Upon  finding  fo  flight 
an  Obfervation  or  Minute  enter'd  in  the  Journal,  upon  the  only 
material  Part  of  the  Difcovery,  I  wrote  to  him  the  2  2d  oi 'January, 
telling  him,  I  imagined  he  had  made  a  much  greater  Progrefs  in 
the  Difcovery  of  a  PafTage  than  he  expe6ted  when  there,  and  that 
from  the  Light  I  had  got  from  his  Journal,  I  could  almoft  prove 
that  he  was  in  the  PafTage,  and  that  V/ager  River  was  a  Streight, 
and  no  River  ;  and  the  Way  he  enter'd  the  Streight  was  one,  tho*^ 
not  the  greatefl  and  eafiefl  into  the  Streight :  For  I  muft  conclude 
that  the  Whales  feen  there  came  from  the  Weflern  Ocean,  as  £\r  as 
they  could,  until  the  Ice  flopp'd  them,  which  was  forced  in  from 
the  Welcoine  ;  and  that  the  Whales  at  Brook  Cobham,  having  no  Ice 
there  to  prevent  their  getting  into  that  Part  of  the  Bay,  they  had  got 
through  the  Streight  from  the  Weflern  Ocean  by  a  better  and  ealier 
PafTage  to  the  Southward.  That  I  imagined  what  had  made  him 
miflake  it  for  a  River,  was  by  the  Tide's  flowing  from  the  Eafl- 
ward,  and  becaufe  he  did  not  meet  the  Weflern  Tide  ;  but  that  if 
he  had  confidered  it  was  a  Streight,  and  no  immediate  Communi- 
cation with  the  Weflern  Ocean,  he  mufl  have  expelled  the  Eaflern 
Tide  to  rife,  until  he  had  got  halfway  through  the  Streight,  where 
he  would  have  met  the  conti-ary  Tide,  as  it  is  in  Magellan'?,  Streight ; 
that  I  obferved  the  Journal  was  very  fliort  in  relating  what  the 
Lieutenant  and  Mafler  had  obferved  the  lafl  time  they  were  up,  and 
therefore  I  expected  that  he  would  fend  me  under  their  Hands  all 
they  obferved  when  they  went  lafl  up ;  whether  the  River  grew 
broader  or  narrower,  and  what  Depth  it  was  j  whether  they  were 
in  every  Opening  ;  whether  tliere  was  more  or  lefs  Ice,  or  whether 
it  was  frefh  or  fait ;  that  I  might  be  able  to  form  a  Judgment  upon 
the  whole,  and  know  whether  it  was  a  River  or  Streight, 

A  few  Days  before  I  wrote  this  Letter,  I  inclofed  a  Letter  to  a 
Friend  in  London  to  be  delivered  to  a  Nobleman  of  the  firfl  Di- 
flindion^   to  acquaint  him  of  my  Intentions  of  propofing  to  have 

Setdements 


(    no   ) 

Settlements  made  in  Hudfon's  Bay,  and  to  lay  open  the  Trade,  and 
by  that  means  we  fliould  recover  that  Part  of  our  Fur  Trade  which 
the  Company  had  loft  to  the  French,  and  in  time  fecure  the 
whole,  and  break  off  the  Communication  between  Canada  and 
Mijjijfippi  through  the  Lakes ;  that  in  cafe  he  approved  of  it  as  a 
proper  Scheme,  I  fliould  prepare  Matters  fo  as  to  go  over  to  London 
and  fet  it  on  foot,  and  as  I  then  expeded  that  I  fliould  have  great 
Affiftance  from  Captain  Middleton,  I  dellred  him  to  {hew  my  Let- 
ter to  the  Captain  before  he  fealed  and  delivered  it  as  diredted. 
This  he  faw  foon  after  he  had  fent  me  the  former  difcouraging  Let- 
ter J  but  then,  finding  I  was  refolved  to  fiir  in  it,  he  thought  it 
would  be  impolitick  in  him  to  oppofe  it,  left  he  (liould  be  fufpecSled 
of  being  in  Friendfhip  with  the  Company  ;  fo  he  fiid  the  Difcou- 
ragement  he  gave  me  in  his  former  Letter  arofe  from  his  Opinion 
that  I  could  not  break  the  Company's  Charter ;  but  if  that  could 
be  done,  then  the  fettling  the  Rivers  upon  the  Bay  would  be  pra- 
diicable. 

Whilft  this  Correfpondence  was  carrying  on,  before  I  got  his 
Anfwer,  or  mine  could  reach  him  in  London,  I  received  an  anony- 
mous Letter,  dated  the  21ft  of  "January,  from  London,  the  Day 
before  the  Date  of  mine  to  the  Captain,  from  two  Gentlemen  who 
had  been  in  the  Voyage  with  him,  who  defired  me  to  direft  to 
them  under  feigned  Names,  as  they  did  not  defire  to  be  known, 
until  it  might  be  proper  for  them  to  own  who  they  were.  Thefe 
Gentlemen  finding  him  refolved  to  ftifle  the  Difcovery,  difguifing 
and  altering  his  Charts,  making  out  frozen  Streights  where  there 
were  none,  and  clofing  up  Streights,  and  making  Rivers  and  Main- 
land, where  there  were  Opens,  and  broken  Lands,  and  making 
and  altering  the  Diredlion  of  the  Tides  and  Currents,  to  anfwer 
the  End  he  defigned,  and  that  he  concealed  a  great  Part  of  what  he 
had  difcovered  ;  having  had  Reafon  to  fufpeft  his  Condudt  before 
upon  the  Voyage,  thought  it  fcandalous,  and  Lijuftice  to  the  Pub- 
lick,  to  conceal  what  they  knew,  and  as  they  knew  his  Correfpon- 
dence with  me,  one  of  them  having  been  employed  in  writing  his 
Anfwers  to  me,  by  which  they  found  how  he  endeavoured  to  im- 
pofe  upon  me  by  falfifying  Fads,  thinking  it  unjuft  to  have  me  im- 
pofed  upon  fo  fcandaloufly,  after  all  the  Pains  I  had  been  at  in  pro- 
moting fo  beneficial  a  Difcovery,  they  thought  it  a  Piece  of  Juftice 
to  the  Publick,    and  to  me,    to  acquaint  me  with  his  Views,    and 

put 


( III ) 

put  me  upon  a  Scrutiny  into  his  Condud,    and  accordingly  wrot® 
to  me  in  a  feigned  Charader  and  Stile  in  the  following  Terms. 

SIR,  January  21,   1742-3, 

THIS  Script  is  only  to  open  your  Eyes,  which  have  been 
fealed  or  clofed  with  too  much  (we  cannot  fay  Cunning) 
Artifice,  fo  as  they  have  not  been  able  to  difcover  our  Difcoverer's 
Pranics.  All  Nature  cries  aloud  there  is  a  PafTage,  and  we  are  fure 
there  is  one  from  Hiidfo?i's  Bay  to  Japan.  Send  a  Letter  diredled 
to  Meflieurs  Brook  and  Cobham,  who  are  Gentlemen  Avho  have 
been  the  Voyage,  and  cannot  bear  fo  glorious  an  Attempt  fhould 
die  under  the  Hands  of  mercenary  Wretches,  and  they  will  give 
you  fiich  pungent  Reafons  as  will  awake  all  your  Induftry.  They 
defire  it  may  be  kept  fecret  fo  long  as  they  fliall  think  fit ;  they  are 
willing  to  venture  their  Lives,  their  Fortunes,  their  All,  in  another 
Attempt }  and  they  are  no  inconfiderable  Perfons,  but  fuch  as  have 
had  it  much  at  Heart  ever  fince  they  faw  the  Rapidity  of  the  Tides 
in  the  Welcome.  The  frozen  Streiglits  is  all  Chimera,  and  every 
thing  you  have  ever  yet  read  or  feen  concerning  that  Part  of  our 
Voyage.  We  fhall  fend  you  fome  unanfwerable  Queries.  Direct 
for  us  at  the  Chapter  Coffee-hoiife,  St.  Paul's  Churchyard,  London. 

This  I  anfwered  as  defired  the  fifthofjR?3r«^rr,  which  happened 
to  be  the  very  Day  the  Captain  anfwered  my  former  Letter,  defir- 
ing  them  to  fend  me  over  the  Queries  they  mentioned,  and  upon 
the  Receipt  of  them  I  fliould  be  ready  to  go  over  and  give  my  beft 
Affiftance  in  profecuting  the  Difcovery. 

The  Captain  got  my  Letter  of  the  2  2d  of  January,  and  my 
Friend  feeing  him  foon  after,  he  found  him  very  much  chagrined. 
He  faid  he  wifhed  I  would  lay  afide  Thoughts  of  the  PafTage,  that 
I  gave  myfelf  a  great  deal  of  Trouble  to  no  Purpofe,  it  being  quite 
impradlicable  ;  but  upon  his  prefBng  him  to  fend  me  an  Anfwer, 
he  faid  he  would  do  it  as  foon  as  he  could,  but  the  Perfon  who 
wrote  for  him  was  out  of  Town  ;  but  upon  his  prefllng  him  to  fend 
it  by  him,  as  he  was  to  go  foon  for  Ireland,  he  at  laft  got  his  An- 
fwer the  Morning  he  came  away,  and  alfb  a  Copy  inclofed  of  his 
Warrant  to  the  Lieutenant  and  Mafler,  and  the  Report  they  figned 
upon  their  Return,  after  they  had  been  up  the  River,  which  I  have 
already  given ;  but  his  Anfwer  being  very  extraordinary,  affirming 
2  feveral 


(    112    ) 

feveral  Fads  which  were  abfolutely  falfe,  with  a  Defign  to  impofe 
upon  me,  by  my  depending  on  his  Veracity ,which  muft  confequently 
oblige  me  to  give  up  all  future  thoughts  of  the  Paffage^  it  will  be 
proper  to  give  it  in  his  own  Words,  and  afterwards  fhew  the  Falli- 
ties  he  affirms  in  it. 

SIR, 

Received  yours  of  the  2 2d  of  'January,  and  faw  the  Letter  you 

inclofcd  in  Mr.  Smith' ^  to  the  Lord concerning  opening 

the  Trade  to  the  Bay. 

You  iiiy  I  have  made  a  much  greater  Progrefs  in  the  Difcovery 
of  a  Faffage  than  I  imagined  when  there,  and  that  from  the  Light 
you  have  got  from  my  Journal,  you  can  almoil  prove  that  I  was  in 
the  Paffage,  and  that  Wager  River  is  properly  Wager  Streight,  and 
not  a  frelh  Water  River,  and  that  the  Way  I  enter'd  it  was  one, 
tho'  not  the  greatefl  and  eafiefl  Way  into  the  Streight. 

You  alfo  obferve,  that  if  there  is  a  Communication  between  the 
Bay  and  the  Weftern  American  Ocean,  or  Paffage  through  Iflands 
and  broken  Lands,  as  in  the  Magellanick  Streights,  the  Tide  will 
continue  to  rife  until  we  get  half  way  through,  and  then  meet  the 
Tide  of  the  other  Ocean.  This  I  thought  of  when  there,  made 
feveral  Trials,  and  ordered  my  Officers  to  do  the  fame,  not  only 
near  Deer  Sound,  but  in  their  Progrefs  up  the  River  as  far  as  they 
went,  and  to  take  notice  of  the  Flux  of  the  Tides,  their  Direftion 
and  Height,  as  you  will  find  inclofed  here.  Now,  as  by  mine  and 
their  Obfervations  it  flowed  at  Savage  Somid  1 5  Feet,  and  the  fame 
Day  but  i  o  Feet  at  Deer  Sound,  and  i  5  Leagues  above  Deer  Sound, 
on  the  Weft  Side,  but  6  Feet.  The  Tides  kept  their  regular  Courfe 
as  high  up  as  I  was  myfelf,  which  was  5  Leagues  above  Deer 
Sound,  about  7  Hours  Ebb,  and  5  Hours  Flood,  20  Leagues  up. 
Whereas,  if  there  had  been  a  Tide  from  the  Weflward  to  have 
met  this,  it  muft  have  raifed  the  Tide  higher  the  farther  Ave  went 
up,  as  it  does  in  Narborough'%  Account  of  the  before  mentioned 
Streight,  and  the  Flood  would  not  run  above  two  Hours  as  he 
found  it  there.  All  thefe  Obfervations  confirmed  me  that  it  could 
not  be  a  Streight  as  you  feem  to  think. 

The  Whales  we  faw  in  the  River  Wager  certainly  come  in  at  the 
Mouth  of  that  River  where  the  Ships  enter'd  it ;  for  we  faw  feve- 
ral in  the  Welcome,  and  fome  off  from  Cape  Dobbs,  after  we  came 
I  out. 


("3) 

out,    and  before  we  went  in.     The  high  Land  and  deep  Water 
gave  me  great  Hopes  before  I  tried  the  abovementioned  Tides. 
tL  Brook  Cobham  was  covered  with  Snow  when  we  went  out,    but  in 

K  our  Return  home  there  was  none  upon  it.     The  Snow  on  the  Land 

in  the  River  Wager  was  much  wafted  before  we  got  out  of  it,  eibe- 
cially  upon  the  Tops  of  the  Mountains,  but  in  the  Valleys  it  lay 
very  thick,  and  froze  fo  hard,  as  to  be  able  to  bear  Waggons  and 
Horfes. 

As  to  any  Paflage  or  broken  Lands  between  the  River  Wager 
and  Lat.  62°.  40'.  I  am  certain  that  I  fearched  that  Coall:  very  nar- 
rowly, and  ftood  into  every  Bay  all  along,  io  near,  that  the  Indi- 
am  I  had  on  board  knew  all  the  Coaft,  and  would  have  had  me  to 
iet  them  on  Shore  at  Cape  Fullerton,  for  they  knew  their  Way  to 
Churchill,  and  had  that  Way  travelled  feveral  times  in  the  Summer, 
which  they  could  not  have  done,  had  it  confifted  of  Illands  or  Ri- 
vers ;  for  they  have  no  Canoes,  neither  is  there  any  Wood  to  raft 
them  over,  as  the  Indians  do  to  the  Southward. 

The  Copy  of  the  Lieutenant's  and  Mafter's  Report  I  have  here 
inclofed,  and  what  is  wanting  in  their  Relation  I  {hall  mention  here. 
The  River,  5  Leagues  above  Deer  Sou?id,  is  8  or  10  Leagues 
broad  ;  the  Channel  is  70  or  80  Fathoms  deep  in  the  Middle,  and 
lieth  near  N.  W.  by  the  true  Chart,  as  far  as  they  went  up,  and 
met  with  as  much  Ice  or  more  than  we  had  below  where  the  Ships 
lay.  I  went  feveral  times  up  the  River  myfelf,  but  all  was  fo 
choak'd  with  Ice,  that  I  could  but  once  get  over  to  the  Weft  Shore ; 
fo  that  'tis  x\\y  Opinion  that  the  River  cannot  be  above  one  Week 
or  two  at  mbft  clear  of  Ice  in  a  Year,  and  many  Years  not  clear 
at  all. 

There  muft  be  Land  to  the  Weftward,  and  a  very  great  Tradl 
of  Land,  from  the  Rcafons  I  mentioned  in  the  Obfervations  of  the 
Effedts  of  Cold.  Whilft  the  Wind  blows  fi'om  the  N.  W.  Quar- 
ter, the  Air  is  continually  frozen,  by  the  Winds  paffing  over  Moun- 
tains perpetually  covered  with  Snow.  The  Land  from  the  Water- 
fide  afcends  gradually  up  into  the  Country,  and  is  very  high,  as  I 
faw  from  off  fome  very  high  Mountains  above  Deer  Somid. 

This  is  all  I  have  time  to  think  upon  at  prefent,  but  I  fhould  be 
heartily  glad  you  could  diffolve  the  Company,  for  they  have  ufed 
me,  and  all  my  Men  who  were  with  me,  very  ill ;  and  thofe  who 
voluntarily  enter'd  with  me  at  Churchill  they  refufe  to  pay  their 

Q Wages 


("4) 

Wages  due,  neither  can  I  get  any  Money  for  my  Servants  whom  I 
formerly  put  into  their  Service,  There  are  many  other  Things 
which  have  been  very  fatiguing  to  me,  and  no  doubt  will  be  tire- 
fome  to  you  ;    therefore  beg  leave  you  will  conclude  me  to  be,  as 

1  really  am,  with  great  Refpedl, 

London,  Feb.  5,  Sir,  Tour  mofl  obedient  humble  Servajit, 

1742-3.  Chrijiopher  Middleton. 

As  this  Letter  was  wrote  with  a  Defign  to  impofe  upon  me,  and 
make  me  believe  many  Fallities  and  falfe  Reafonings,  I  muft  make 
Obfervations  upon  each  particular  Paragraph  feparately. 

The  firft  of  his  Reafons  for  its  being  a  River,  and  no  Streight,  is 
from  its  flowing  lefs  the  higher  they  went  up,  as  from  15  Feet 
at  Savage  Sound,  where  the  Ships  lay,  to  1  o  Feet  at  Deer  Sound, 
the  fame  Tide  ;  and  at  the  Weft  End,  1 5  Leagues  higher,  but  fix 
Feet,  which  he  alledges  was  contrary  to  my  Obfervation,  and 
Narborough's,  Account  of  the  Tides  in  Magellan's  Streight,  which 
were  higher  in  the  Middle  of  the  Streight,  Now  thefe  Obferva- 
tions are  falfe  ;  for  I  did  not  fay  the  Tides  would  be  higher  the 
nearer  they  came  to  the  Middle  of  the  Streight,  but  that  they 
would  continue  to  rife  and  flow  from  the  Eaftward,  until  they  met 
the  contrary  Tide,  if  it  were  a  Streight.  And  Narborough  exprefly 
fays  the  contrary,  that  it  rofe  4  Fathom  at  the  Eafl  Entrance,  10 
Feet  within  the  fecond  Narrow,  and  near  the  Middle  8  or  9  Feet. 
Nor  were  the  Tides  in  Wager  River  the  feveral  Heights  he  men- 
tions ;  for  by  his  Journal  the  Tide  at  Savage  Soujid  rofe  that  Tide 
but  J  2  Feet  6  Inches,  inftead  of  15,  when  it  rofe  10  Feet  in 
Deer  Sound  %  and  when  they  were  beyond  the  Weft  Bluff  they  did 
not  flay  a  Tide,  and  could  only  conjedure  how  much  it  flowed  j 
nor  did  they  obferve  in  their  Report  whether  the  Eaflern  or  We- 
flern  '  Current  was  Ebb  or  Flood  ;  tho'  now,  upon  RecoUedlion, 
the  Lieutenant  is  pofitive  it  was  the  Tide  of  Flood  from  the  Wefl- 
ward  which  brought  the  Boat  to  a  Grapnel,  it  having  flowed  fix 
Feet  immediately  after  he  anchored  the  Boat ;  nor  are  his  Reafon- 
ings jufl  about  the  Time  of  the  Tide's  flowing  ;  for  tho*  Narbo- 
rough fays  there  was  but  2  Hours  each  Tide,  without  any  Ripling 
or  Current  to  aff^6l  the  Navigation,  he  does  not  fay  that  it  flowed 

2  Hours,  and  ebbed  i  o  j  nor  does  it  any  where  appear  how  long 

it 


(  "S  ) 


it  flowed  in  Wager  River  at  the  upper  End  :  For  what  he  men- 
tions was  only  at  Deer  Sound,  and  the  Entrance  of  the  River, 
where  he  fays,  that  in  each  Place  it  flowed  but  5  Hours,  and 
ebbed  7  ;  whereas,  by  his  own  Principles,  if  it  had  been  a  frefh 
River,  the  Flood  would  ftill  have  been  in  fhorter  Time,  and  the 
Current  or  Ebb  longer,  the  higher  they  went  up.  So  that  neither 
his  Reafoning  nor  Fadls  are  true  to  prove  it  a  River,  nor  his  Recital 
from  Narboroiigh  jufl:. 

The  next  Fallity  he  would  have  impofed  upon  me  was,  that 
the  Whales  came  in  certainly  at  the  Eafl  Entrance  of  Wager  Ri- 
ver ;  for  .they  faw  feveral  in  the  Welcome,  and  near  Cape  Dobbs, 
before  they  went  in,  and  after  they  came  out,  which  none  on 
board  faw  but  himfelf ;  and  the  Journal  exprefly  fays,  when  they 
came  up  with  the  Ice,  Hitherto  have  we  feen  no  Whales  except 
one  white  Whale  as  big  as  a  Grampus,  and  5  or  6  Seals;  and  both 
Logg-book  and  Journal  are  intirely  filent  about  any  when  they 
came  out,  until  they  came  near  Brook  Cohham.  When  I  taxed  the 
Captain  with  this,  all  he  could  fay  was,  he  was  fure  he  heard  one 
or  two  blow.  Yet  in  the  Logg-book  which  he  has  printed  he  fays 
he  faw  2  or  3  blow  in  that  Watch,  tho'  nothing  of  it  is  enter'd  in 
the  original  large  Logg-book,  nor  were  any  feen  by  any  other  Per- 
fon  on  board  the  Furnace  ;  nor  did  Captain  Moor  in  the  Discovery 
fee  any,  tho'  two  on  board  him  took  upon  them  to  fwear  they  faw 
or  heard  2  or  3  blow. 

The  next  Falfity  he  advances  is,  that  tho'  the  Snow  was  thawed 
and  wafled  upon  the  Tops  of  the  Mountains  in  Wager  River  when 
they  were  there,  yet  it  froze  fo  hard  in  the  Valleys  as  to  carry 
Waggons  and  Horfes ;  whereas,  except  in  fuch  Places  where  the 
Sun  could  not  come  at  it,  there  was  no  Ice  in  the  Valleys,  but  all 
the  Ponds  and  Lakes  were  free  from  Ice,  and  full  of  Trouts  and 
other  Fifh. 

The  next  Falfity  he  afl^erts  is,  that  there  was  no  Pafl[age  or  bro- 
ken Lands  betwixt  Wager  River  and  Lat.  62°.  40'.  for  he  had 
fearched  narrowly  every  Bay,  and  flood  in  fo  clofe,  that  the  Indi- 
ans on  board  him  knew  all  the  Coaft,  and  defired  to  be  put  on 
Shore  at  Cape  Fullerton,  for  they  knew  the  Way  from  that  to 
Churchill,  and  had  travelled  it  feveral  times  by  Land  in  Summer, 
which  they  could  not  have  done  if  there  was  any  Openings  or 
Strelght,  having  no  Canoes  there,  or  Timber  to  make  Rafts,  Now 

Q^  this 


(  "6  )■ 


this  was  a  glaring  and  abfolute  Fallity  throughout ;  for  it  appears 
Jrom  his  Logg-book  and  Journal,  that  he  was  not  nearer  any  of 
the  Head-lands  than  5  or  6  Leagues,  that  he  allows  there  were 
many  deep  Bays  and  Iflands,  and  that  he  paffed  from  Cape  Dobbs  to 
the  Southward  of  Cape  Fiillerton  in  the  Night,  and  by  his  Logg- 
book  it  appears  that  he  was  8  Leagues  off  Shore,  when  off  the  Bay 
between  that  and  Brook  Cobham^  and  his  Men  who  were  on  board 
him  could  fearce  fee  the  Land  but  like  Clouds  at  a  Diflance  in  the 
Haze  ;  and  he  himfelf  in  Council  owned  that  it  was  all  broken 
Lands  and  Iflands  when  he  left  his  frozen  Streight.  And  it  appears 
alfo  that  he  knew  it  to  be  fo  as  well  from  Governor  Norton  as  from 
Scroggs's  Crew,  and  the  Indians  who  were  on  board  Scroggs,  and 
might  have  alio  known  the  fame  from  his  own  Indians,  had 
he  confulted  them  ;  for  in  his  Letter  to  me  of  OSlober  18,  1739, 
he  fays, 

I  was  this  Year  at  Churchill  Faftory,  where  Mr.  Norton  is  Go- 
vernor J  he  was  along  with  Scroggs  in  the  Year  1722,  and  re- 
members very  well,  that  when  they  came  to  an  anchor  in  the 
Welcome,  near  the  Latitude  of  65°.  they  had  12  Fathom  at  high 
Water,  and  but  7  Fathom  at  low  Water  ;  and  he  feems  confident, 
from  a  View  that  he  took  from  a  Promontary  afhore,  that  there 
mufl  be  a  clear  Paffage  ;  the  Land  is  very  high,  and  falls  off  to 
the  Southward  of  the  Weft.  This  Year  fome  of  the  Natives 
who  came  down  to  trade  at  Churchill,  and  had  never  been  before 
at  any  of  our  Englijh  Settlements,  informed  him  they  frequently 
traded  with  Europeans  on  the  Weft  Side  of  America,  near  the  La- 
titude of  Churchill  by  their  Account  ;  which  ieems  to  confirm 
that  the  two  Seas  mufl  meet.     I  remain,  ^c. 

Cbrijlopher  Middleton^ 

In  another  of  his  Letters  of  the  21ft  of  January  'i'jIJy  he  fays. 
That  the  Company  think  it  their  Intereft  rather  to  prevent  than 
forward  new  Difcoveries  in  that  Part  of  the  World,  and  for  that 
Reafon  they  won't  fuffer  any  of  our  Journals  to  be  made  pub- 
lick.  All  the  Intimation  I  am  able  to  give  is,  that  the  Tides  rife 
more  with  a  North  and  North- weft  Wind,  at  Neap-Tides,  than 
ever  the  Spring-Tides  do  at  Churchill,  or  Albany,  with  a  Southerly 
or  Eafterly  Wind ;  and  as  there's  little  or  no  Tide  between  Mans- 
Jield  and  Carfs  Swan's  Nejl,  nor  any  in  the  N.  or  N.  N.  W.  of 

Mill 


(   "7  ) 

Mill  IJles,  in  that  Bay,  it  muft  come  from  the  Welcome,  which 
cannot  be  far  from  fome  Weftern  Ocean  ;  alfo  in  Mr.  Joht  Scroggs's 
Journal  of  1722,  he  mentions,  that  in  Lat.  64°.  50'.  the  Tide  eb- 
bed five  Fatlioms,  but  gives  no  Account  which  Way,  or  from 
whence  the  Tide  came ;  and  they  all  agree,  that  a  great  many 
Whales  are  feen  in  the  Welcome,  whereas  I  don't  remember  to 
have  feen  any  in  other  Parts  of  Hudfon's  Bay,  and  I  have  been  in 
all  Parts  of  it  except  the  Welcome,  all  which  are  favourable 
Circumftances :  I  fhall  be  glad  at  all  Times  to  contribute  what 
I  can  to  your  Information,  and  beg  you'll  believe  me  to  be.  Sir, 
&c.  Chrijlopher  Middleton. 

In  another  of  his  'LctX.tvs  o£  November  c^ih.  1737,  he  mentions 
the  Company's  having  fent  out  two  Sloops  (at  my  Solicitation) 
upon  the  Difcovery,  they  profecuted  their  Voyage  no  farther  than 
Lat.  62°.  one  fourth  North,  and  returned  without  making  any 
new  or  ufeful  Difcovery,  fo  far  as  I  can  learn  ;  they  found  a  great 
many  Iflands,  Abundance  of  black  Whales,  but  no  very  great 
Tides,  the  higheft  about  2  Fathoms,  the  Flood  coming  from  the 
Northward. 

In  his  Extradl  from  Scroggs's  Journal  of  the  Welcome,  he  alfo 
fays,  that  he  had  two  Northern  Indians  on  board,  who  had  been 
entertained  in  the  Fadlory  all  the  foregoing  Winter,  upon  the  Ac- 
count of  this  Difcovery  ;  they  gave  us  Intimation  of  a  rich  Copper 
Mine  that  lay  near  the  Surface  of  the  Earth,  and  faid  they  could 
diredl  the  Sloop  or  Ship  to  lay  her  Side  to  it,  where  fhe  might  land 
very  ibon  :  We  had  feveral  Pieces  of  Copper  brought  to  Church- 
hill,  which  made  it  evident  there  is  a  Mine  fomewhere  in  that 
Country.  Thefe  Indians  fketched  out  the  Lands  with  Charcoal 
upon  a  Skin  of  Parchment,  before  they  left  the  Fadory,  and  as 
far  as  they  went  they  found  it  agree  very  well. 

He  afterwards  fays,  When  they  returned,  which  was  in  a 
Month's  Time,  or  thereabouts,  I  examined  the  Officers  and  Men. 
Several  had  been  my  Scholars  in  the  Winter  to  learn  Navigation. 
They  told  me  they'  fxw  nothing  at  thefe  Times  they  were  on 
Shore  to  hinder  their  going  flirther ;  for  when  they  were  eight  or 
ten  Miles  from  Whalebone  Poi?it,  which  bore  E.  N.  E.  from  them, 
they  faw  an  open  Sea,  and  the  Land  trenched  away  to  the  South- 
ward of  the  Weft  j    this  they  faid  to  Scroggs's  Face  as  foon  as 

they 


(  ii8  ) 

they  were  got  on  board  our  Ship  at  Churchill,  the'  while  they  were 
under  his  Command,  they  diffembled  it,  and  faid  what  he  pleafed 
to  have  them.  From  this,  and  all  other  Accounts,  it  appears  there 
muft  be  a  Paffage  for  the  Tides  from  the  Weftern  Ocean, 

Since  thefe  are  all  from  his  own  Letters,  how  could  he  pretend 
to  fay  it  was  all  a  Main-land  from  Wager  River  to  Lat.  62°.  40'. 
when  he  pafled  this  Coaft  in  the  Night,  or  how  could  he  fay  that 
his  Indians  deiired  to  be  fet  afhore  there,  when  they  alfo  gave  him 
the  fame  Account  of  the  Copper  Mine  and  Streight ;  and  all  who 
traded  to  Whale  Cove  from  Churchill,  faid  that  even  there,  it  was 
all  broken  Land  and  Iflands,  with  Sea  behind  them  and  full  of 
Whales ;  and  thefe  Indians,  when  they  were  put  afhore  on  Marble 
IJldnd,  tho'  much  nearer  their  own  Country,  thought  they  were 
undone,  and  would  be  facrificed  to  their  Enemies  the  Efkimaux, 
who  were  upon  that  Coaft,  between  them  and  their  own  Country. 
So  that  his  affirming  thefe  as  true  Fads  was  too  grofs  to  be  be- 
lieved. 

His  next  Paragraph  is.  That  he  had  fent  me  the  Lieutenant  and 
Mafter's  Report  of  what  they  had  obferved,  and  he  would  make 
out  what  they  were  deficient  in  ;  and  in  Part  of  this  he  fays  Truth, 
that  five  Leagues  above  Deer  Somid,  the  River  was  8  or  10  Leagues 
wide,  and  70  or  80  Fathoms  deep  in  the  Middle  ;  but  then  he 
adds,  the  Courfe  lay  N.  W.  by  the  true  Chart,  when  they  affirm, 
that  from  the  Weftern  Bluff,  the  true  Courfe  was  near  W.  S.  W. 
And  he  farther  fays.  That  there  was  as  much  Ice  or  more  above, 
as  far  as  they  went,  than  there  was  below  where  the  Ships  lay  ; 
and  it  was  his  Opinion  that  the  River  could  not  be  clear  of  Ice  a- 
bove  one  Week  or  two  in  the  Year,  and  fome  Years  not  at  all ; 
when  both  the  Lieutenant  and  Mafter  affirmed  before  the  Lords  of 
the  Admiralty,  that  they  had  no  Ice  to  obftruifl  their  PafTage  above 
Deer  Soioid  ;  and  when  they  got  up  1 5  Leagues  higher,  they  faw 
a  noble  Streight  going  W.  S.  W.  without  any  Ice  in  it,  with  high 
broken  Lands  on  each  Side.  So  that  his  whole  Letter  is  made  up 
ofFallities,  and  falfe  Reafoning,  to  make  out  his  AfTertion,  that 
there  was  no  PafTage  :  And  to  give  his  AfTertions  more  Weight, 
he  brings  in  his  Theory  and  Obfervations  upon  Cold,  to  prove  the 
whole  a  Continent  of  vaft  Extent,  to  the  North- weftward  of  the 
Bay,  contrary  to  the  authentick  Accounts  given  by  the  Lidians 
who  WQtezt  Churchill  in  1739,  who  had  been  at  the  Weftern 
I  Ocean 


(  "9  ) 


Ocean  of  America^  in  the  fame  Latitude   of  Churchill,    mentioned 
in  his  own  Letter. 

At  the  Clofe  of  his  Letter,  in  order  to  take  me  off  from  my 
Purfuit  of  the  Paffage,  he  wiihes  that  I  would  attack  the  Compa- 
ny, and  break  their  Charter,  pretending  they  had  ufed  him  ill,  that 
I  might  not  fufpedt  him  of  being  their  Friend,  or  fufpedl  him  for 
having  received  any  Bribes  or  Rewards  from  them,  in  order  to  ftifle 
the  Difcovery,  So  that  upon  the  whole  it  feems  evident,  that  his 
whole  Scheme  has  been  to  make  his  Terms  with  the  Company  be- 
fore he  (hould  fix  the  Journal  of  his  Difcovery,  and  when  that  was 
fixed,he  then  was  to  impofe  upon  the  Publick  and  me,  by  publifhing 
falfe  Charts  and  Currents,  in  order  to  prevent  all  future  Attempts. 

Froni  what  I  have  here  obferved  of  the  Difcoveries  made,  and 
the  Management  during,  and  fincc  the  Voyage,  to  ftifle  and  conceal 
what  has  been  difcovered,  I  prefume  that  flrong  Prefumptions  for  a 
Paffage  will  appear  to  all  who  impartially  cordider  the  whole ;  and 
I  hope  I  may  be  indulged  to  fhew  from  Reafon,  as  well  as  thefe 
Obfervations,  that  thefe  Prefumptions  are  as  ftrong  as  poffible,  and 
amount  almoft  to  a  Demonftration. 

Since  all  great  Tides  are  caufed  by  the  Attraction  of  the  Sun  and 
Moon  upon  a  great  Body  of  Water  in  a  large  Ocean,  an  Inland-fea, 
that  does  not  communicate  with  the  Ocean  by  fome  very  large 
Opening,  can  have  no  Tide  in  it  which  can  be  any  way  fenfible, 
unlefs  fuch  Inland-fea  be  vaftly  large.  The  'Mediterranean,  tho' 
vaftly  large,  having  but  a  fmall  Entrance  by  which  it  communi- 
cates with  the  Ocean,  has  no  fenfible  Tide,  except  the  irregular 
Tide  at  the  Euripus,  now  Negropont,  and  a  fmall  Tide  of  about  z 
Feet  on  the  North-eaft  and  North-weft  Sides  of  Italy  ;  and  in  the 
Baltick  is  no  Tide  at  all,  altho'  there  are  three  Paffages  into  it  from 
the  Ocean  by  the  Sound,  and  the  Great  and  Little  Belt. 

Hudfon's  Bay,  in  which  are  fuch  ftrong  and  high  Tides,  is  the 
only  Inland-fea  known,  that  has  fuch  high  and  rapid  Tides,  and 
confequently  mull:  have  a  confiderable  Communication  with  fome 
Ocean  or  Oceans  j  if  it  have  only  a  Communication  with  the  Atlantic 
Ocean  by  Hudfon's  Streight,  let  us  confider  whether  that  alone  can 
poflibly  raife  fuch  high  Tides  as  are  throughout  the  whole  Bay,, 
but  more  remarkably  on  the  Weft  and  North- weft  Side  of  the  Bay, 
where  the  Tides  rife  near  equally  to  thofe  at  the  Entrance  of  Hud- 
fo?i's  Streight. 
■^  "  This 


( 


120 


This  Streight  at  the  Entrance  is  only  13  to  14  Leagues  wide 
from  the  South  Side  to  RefoJution  Ip,  and  a  fmall  Channel 
fome  Leagues  wide,  Northward  of  that  Ifland,  in  which  is  no  great 
Current.  It  runs  in  the  Entrance  about  5  or  6  Miles  in  an  Hour, 
and  rifes  about  18  Feet  at  Spring-tide.  At  Cape  Charles,  in  the 
Middle  of  the  Streight,  it  is  about  1 5  Leagues  wide,  and  has  there 
loft  nigh  Half  its  Force.  At  Cape  Diggs,  _  the  Weft  End  of  the 
Streight,  it  is  about  20  Leagues  wide,  and  is  ftill  more  diminished 
in  its  Heighth  and  Current  -,  and  when  it  enters  the  Bay  at  Cary'& 
Swaft's  Neji,  it  rifes  but  6  Feet.  Now  it  is  very  reafonable  it  fhould 
be  diminifhed  fo,  when  it  is  confidered  what  Space  it  has  to  fill  in 
its  Courfe  fo  far  ;  for  there  is  a  great  Bay  or  Inlet  on  the  South- 
weft  Side  within  Button's  IJIe,  and  feveral  others  betwixt  Cape 
Charles  and  Cape  Diggs,  and  great  Inlets  on  the  North  Side  ;  and 
the  Streight  being  140  Leagues  in  Length  before  it  reaches  the  Bay, 
it  requires  a  great  Current  even  to  fill  the  Streight,  when  to  thefe 
is  added  the  Space  it  has  to  fill  in  the  great  Bays  and  Inlets  above 
Mill  IJles,  by  Cape  Comfort  and  Lord  Wejlon's  tortland,  it  may  be 
eafily  conceived  to  be  almoft  fpent  before  it  paffes  ManfelH  IJle  and 
Carf&  Swan's  NeJi.  How  then  is  it  pofTible  that  a  Tide  or  Cur- 
rent, running  through  fo  narrow  a  PafTage  only  5  or  6  Miles  an 
Hour,  which  is  not  above  30  Miles  each  Tide,  fhould  raife  a  high 
Tide,  not  only  for  140  Leagues,  befides  all  the  Bays  and  Inlets  on 
each  Side  the  Streight,  and  above  Mill  I/les,  but  alfo  fill  a  great 
Inland-fea,  above  800  Miles  long,  and  500  broad  ?  and  after  it  is 
expanded  in  the  Bay,  and  the  Current  loft,  fl:iould  be  able  to  raife 
a  Tide  on  the  Weft  and  North- weft  Side  of  the  Bay  fi-om  1 2  to 
16  Feet,  nay  fometimes  to  22  Feet  ?  and  \i  Norton  and  Scroggs  are 
to  be  believed,  even  to  5  Fathom,  and  occafion  fuch  rapid  Cur- 
rents as  at  Brook  Cobham,  Marble  Ifland,  Wager  River,  tic.  fo  as 
to  run  there  from  4  to  6  and  7  Miles  an  Hour,  if  only  filled  from 
Hudfon's  Streight,  when  at  the  fame  time  the  Tide  flowing  through 
Davis's  Streights,  which  are  above  40  Leagues  wide  up  into  B^f- 
jin's  Bay  inLat.  78°.  does  not  there  exceed  5  or  6  Feet  any  where  ? 
Since  therefore  no  other  Inland-fea  has  any  fenfible  Tide,  and  even 
Tide  in  the  South  End  of  Hudfon's  Bay  does  not  rife  above  four 
Feet  without  a  ftrong  Wind  at  North,  how  can  thefe  high  and 
rapid  Tides  be  at  the  North-weft  Side  without  a  Communication 
with  fome  other  Ocean  than  that  which  flows  through  Hudfon's 
1  Streight. 


(    121    ) 

Stxeight.     When  it  is  alfo  known   that  a  North  and  North-weft 
Wind  raifes  a  higher  Tide  on 'the  Weft  Side  of  the  Bay  at  Neap 
Tides,    than  an  Eafterly  or  South-eaft  Wind  does  at  Spring  Tides, 
which  blows  from  our  Ocean,    does  not  that  almoft  amount  to  a' 
Demonftration  without  £irther  corroborating  Proofs  ?    But  when 
all  other  Circumftances  coincide  with  thefe,  fuch  as  the  great  Num- 
ber of  Whales  fecn  on  the  North- weft  Side,  tho'  none  are  ever  feen 
in  other  Parts  of  the  Bay  or  Streight,  and  that  all  that  Part  of  the 
Coaft,    from  Lat.  60".  to  fFage?-  Streight,    is  found  to  be  broken 
Land  and  Iflands,    and  a  Tide  flowing  from  the  Weft  lias  been 
found  at  Marble  IJland  and  tlie  Weft  End  of  IVa'rer  Streight,  and 
a  Weft  Moon  makes  high   Water  from  Marble  IJland  to  Wager 
Streight,    which  ftiews  they  are  all  equally  near  the  Ocean,    and  a 
W.  S.  W.  Moon  at  Whale  Cove,    which  being  earlier,   fhews  it  is 
nigher  the  Ocean,    where  an  open  Sea  has  been  difcovered  Weft- 
ward  of  thefe  Iflands,  and  the  Atteftation  of  the  hidians  who  have 
been  at  the  Copper  Mine,  and  there  being  no  Ice  there  to  obftruft 
Navigation  when  all  other  Parts  of  the  Bay  is  choak'd  with  Ice  • 
all  thefe  Things  concurring,  gives  as  great  a  Certainty  for  a  Paflage 
as  any  thing  can  do  but  an  adlual  pafling  and  Return  throuo-h  it. 

For  thefe  Reafons,  and  from  Captain  Middlefoji's,  Behaviour  dur- 
ing his  Voyage,  and  the  Care  he  has  taken  to  ftifle  all  the  material 
Parts  of  the  Difcovery  fince  his  Return,  and  from  the  Weaknefs  of 
his  Defence,    wherein  he  has  been   obliged   to  advance  feverai 
Falflioods,    and  has  evaded  artfully  where  he  could  not  anfwer  to 
the  Charges  brought  againft  him ;    and  has  alfo  given  all  the  inti- 
midating Accounts  he  could  well  imagine  to  prevent  any  others 
from  profecuting  the  Difcovery,  it  feems  evident  that  both  the  Hud- 
fon's  Bay  Company  and  he  are  convinced  there  is  a  Paflage,    and 
are  equally  afraid  of  being  detedted  in  having  negledied  and  pre- 
vented the  Difcovery  of  it :    For  if  there  is  no  Palfage,    and  Cap- 
tain Middleton  has  adted  a  fair   Part,  they  are   adting  with  the 
greateft    Imprudence,     and   againft  their   Intereft  ;     for  nothing 
can  fo  effeftually  eRablifla  his  Charadler,  and  fliew  that  the  Com-, 
pany  have  done  their  Duty  to  the  Publick,  as  to  have  other  Ships 
to  go  out  and  try  it  ;    for  if  they  fliould   fliew  that  there  is  none, 
then  it  would  appear  that  the  Captain  had  behaved  well,    and  the 
Company  would  not  be  deemed  faulty  in  having  concealed  and  ne- 
glected fo  beneficial  a  Difcovery,  and  all  the  Blame  would  be  laid 

K.  at 


{    122    ) 

at  my  Door  in  pufliing  on  a  fecond  Attempt  unreafonably,  and  my 
Character  muft  fufFer,  and  the  next  Voyage  determine  every  thing 
aoainft  me ;  lb  that  by  fending  Ships  to  make  another  Attempt  it 
is  brought  to  this  Crifis :  If  there  is  no  Paflage,  the  Falfenefs  of 
my  Reafonings  and  Obfervations,  and  my  Charge  againft  him  will 
be  expofed,  and  his  Character  be  eftablirfied  ;  but  if  there  is  a  Paf- 
tage,  he  is  in  the  right  to  ftruggle  hard  to  prevent  a  farther  At- 
tempt, for  then  botli  his  Mifconduft  and  the  Company's  Negledt 
in  finding  it  will  be  detefted  ;  and  if  fo,  a  corrupt  Correfpondence 
would  be  laid  to  their  Charge,  in  endeavouring  to  prevent  the  Pub- 
lick  from  a  Difcovery  which  would  be  of  great  Importance  in  add- 
ing to  the  Wealth  and  Power  of  Britaijt. 

As  a  farther  Proof  of  this  Paffage,  I  fliall  here  give  De  Fonte'^ 
Letter,  Vice- Admiral  of  Teru  and  Mexico,  giving  an  Abftraft  of 
his  Voyage  from  Lima  in  Feru,  to  prevent,  or  feize  upon,  any 
Ships  who  fliould  attempt  to  find  a  North- weft  Paffage  to  the  South- 
Sea,  as  I  took  it  from  the  Memoirs  of  the  Curious  publiflied  in 
April  and  'June  1708,  having  only  abridged  it  a  little  in  his  Way  to 
Califorjiia,  that  not  being  material  towards  the  Difcovery,  and 
alter'd  the  Expreffion  from  the  firft  to  the  third  Perfon. 


A   LET- 


12 


L    E    T    T    E 


FROM 


BARrnOLOMEW  de   FONTE, 

Vice-Admiral  of  Peru  and  Mexico: 


GIVING 


An  Abstract  of  his  Voyage  from  Lima  in  Peru^  to 
prevent  or  feize  upon  any  Ships  who  fhould  attempt 
to  find  a  North-west  Passage  to  the  South-Sea, 


THE  Viceroys  of  New  Spain  and  Peru  having  Advice  from 
the  Court  of  Spai?i,  that  the  Attempt  for  the  finding  a 
North-weft  PafTage,  which  had  been  tried  before  by 
Hudfon  and  yames,was  again  attempted  in  1639  by  fome 
induftrious  Navigators  from  Bojion  in  New-England,  Admiral  De 
Fonte  received  Orders  from  Spain,  and  the  Viceroys  to  equip  four 
Ships  of  Force,  and  being  ready,  he  put  to  Sea  the  3d  oi  April,  1 640, 
from  Lima,  the  Admiral  in  the  Ship  St.  Spiritus,  the  Vice- Admiral, 
Don  Diego  Penelojfa,  in  the  St.  Lucia,  Pedro  de  Barnarda  in  the 
Rofaria,  and  Philip  de  Ronquillo  in  the  King  Philip.  The  7th  of 
April,  at  5  in  the  Evening,  he  got  to  St.  Helen,  in  1".  South  Lat. 
where  he  took  in  a  Quantity  of  Bitumen  or  Tar,  by  way  of  Medi- 
cine againft  the  Scurvy  and  Dropfy.    The  i  oth  he  pafTed  the  Equi- 

R  2  «?^ 


( IM ) 

?Z(JX' at  Cape  del  Pafao,  the  nth  Cape  Sf.Francifco,  in  i».  7'. 
N.  Lat.  and  anchored  at  the  Mouth  of  the  River  St.  J  ago,  and 
took  in  there  feveral  Refrefliments.  The  i6th  he  failed  froni 
thence  to  the  Port  and  Town  Ralco,  320  Leagues  W.  N.  W.  We- 
fterly,  in  about  11°.  14.  N.  Lat.  It  is  a  fafe  Port,  covered  from 
the  Sea  by  the  Wands  Ampallo  and  Mangrexa,  both  well  inhabited 
by  Indians  ;  Rako  is  but  4  Miles  over  Land  to  the  Head  of  the 
'L2ke  Nicaragua,  that  falls  into  the  North  Sea  in  i2°.N.  Lat. 
near  the  Corn  or  Pearl  Iflands  :  Here  being  Plenty  of  £ne  Tim- 
ber, he  bought  four  Shallops,  built  exprefly  for  failing  and  rowing, 
about  12  Tons  each,  32  Feet  in  the  Keel.  The  26th  he  failed 
from  thence  to  Saragua,  within  the  Iflands  and  Shoals  of  CZw;;////, 
in  17°.  31'.  N.  Lat.  480  Leagues  N.  W.  by  W.  from  Rako.  From 
Saragua  and  Compojiella,  near  this  Port  he  took  in  a  Mafter  and 
fix  Mariners,  ufed  to  trade  with  the  Natives  on  the  Eaft  Side 
of  California  for  Pearl,  which  the  Natives  catch  on  a  Bank  in 
Lat.  29°.  North  from  the  Baxas  St.  Juan,  in  24°.  N.  Lat.  20 
Leagues  N.  N.  E,  from  Cape  St.  Lucas,  the  S.  E.  Point  of  Cali- 
fornia. The  Mafter,  the  Admiral  had  hired  with  his  Veffel  and 
Mariners,  informed  him  that  200  Leagues  North  fi-om  Cape  St. 
Lucas,  a  Flood  from  the  North  had  met  the  South  Flood,  and 
he  was  fure  it  mufl  be  an  Ifland.  Don  Diego  Penelojfa  under- 
took with  his  Ship  and  the  four  Shallops,  to  difcover  whether 
California  was  an  Ifland  or  not,  along  with  the  Mafler  and  his 
Mariners  they  hired  at  Saragua  ;  but  Admiral  de  Fonte,  with  three 
Ships,  failed  from  them  v/ithin  the  Ifles  of  Chamilly  the  i  oth  of 
May  1 640  ;  and  having  got  the  length  of  Cape  Abel  on  the  W. 
S.  W.  Side  of  California  in  26°.  N.  Lat.  160  Leagues  N.  W.  by 
W.  from  the  Ifles  Chamilly,  the  Wind  fprung  up  at  S.  S.  E.  a  ftea- 
dy  Gale  ;  that  from  the  26th  of  May  to  the  14th  of  fune,  he 
had  failed  to  the  River  Los  Reys  in  53°.  N.  Lat.  not  having  Oc- 
cafion  to  lower  a  Top-fail  in  failing  866  Leagues  N.  N.  W.  410 
Leagues  from  Port  Jbello  Cape  Blanco,  and  456  to  Rio  los  Reys, 
and  failed  about  260  Leagues  in  crooked  Channels  amongft  Iflands, 
named,  the  Archipelago  de  St.  Lazarus,  where  the  Ships  Boats  al- 
ways failed  a  Mile  a-head,  founding  to  fee  what  Water,  Sand 
and  Rocks  there  were.  The  2  2d  of  June  Admiral  Fonte  difpatch- 
ed  one  of  his  Captains  to  Pedro  de  Barnarda,  to  fiiil  up  a  fair  Ri- 
ver^. 


(  1^5  ) 

ver,  a  gentle  Stream  and  deep  Water  j  he  went  firft  N.  and  N.  E. 
N.  and  N.  W,  into  a  large  Lake  full  of  Iflands,  and  one  very  large 
Peninliila  full  of  Inhabitants,  a  friendly  honeft  People  in  this  Lake. 
He  named  it  Lake  Velafco,  where  Captain  Bernarda  left  his  Ship  ; 
nor  all  up  the  River  was  it  lefs  than  4,  5,  6,  7  and  8  Fathom 
Water,  both  the  Rivers'  and  Lakes  abounding  with  Salmon, 
Trouts,  and  white  Perch,  very  large,  fome  two  Foot  long,  and 
with  three  large  Indian  Boats  called  Periaguas,  made  of  two  large 
Trees,  50  and  60  Foot  long.  Captain  Bernarda  firft  failed  from  his 
Ships  in  the  Lake  Velafco  140  Leagues  Weft,  and  then  436  E.  N. 
E.  to  77°.  N.  Lat.  Admiral  de  Fonte,  after  he  had  difpatched 
Captain  Bernarda  on  the  Difcovery  of  the  North  and  Eaft  Part  of 
the  'Tartarian  Sea,  failed  up  a  very  navigable  River,  which  he 
named  Rio  los  Reys,  that  ran  neareft  N.  E.  but  on  feveral  Points 
of  the  Compafs  60  Leagues,  at  low  Water,  in  a  fair  navigable 
Channel,  not  lefs  than  4  or  5  Fathom  Water  ;  it  flowed  in  both 
Rivers  near  the  fame  Water,  in  the  River  los  Reys  24  Foot  Full 
and  Change  of  the  Moon,  a  S.  S.  E.  Moon  made  high  Water ; 
it  flowed  in  the  River  de  Haro  22  Foot  and  a  half  Full  and 
Change.  They  had  two  Jefuits  with  them  who  had  been  on  their 
Miffion  to  66".  N.  Lat.  and  had  made  curious  Obfervations.  The 
Admiral  de  Fonte  received  a  Letter  from  Captain  Bernarda,  dated 
the  27th  of  Jmie  1640,  that  he  had  left  his  Ship  in  the  Lake 
Velafco,  betwixt  the  liland  Bernarda  and  the  Lake  Gonibaffet,  a 
very  fafe  Port ;  he  went  down  a  River  from  the  Lake  three  Falls, 
80  Leagues,  and  fell  into  the  Tartarian  Sea  in  61".  with  the  Pa- 
ter Jefuits  and  36  Natives  in  three  of  their  Boats,  and  20  of  his 
Spanijh  Seamen,  that  the  Land  trended  away  N..  E.  that  they 
fhould  want  no  Provilions,  the  Country  abounding  Avith  Venifou 
of  three  Sorts,  and  the  Sea  and  Rivers  with  excellent  Fifh,  (Bread, 
Salt,  Oil  and  Brandy  they  carried  with  them)  that  he  fliould  do 
what  was  poflible.  The  Admiral,  when  he  received  that  Letter, 
was  arrived  at  an  Lidian  Town  called  Conaffet,  on  the  South  Side 
of  the  Lake  Belle,  where  the  two  Pater  Jefuits  on  their  MifTion 
had  been  two  Years,  a  pleafant  Place.  The  Admiral,  with  his 
two  Ships,  entered  the  Lake  the  2  2d  of  Jwie,  an  Hour  before 
high  Water,  and  there  was  no  Fall  or  Cataradt,  and  4  or  5  Fa- 
thom Water,  and  6  and  7  generally  in  the  Lake  Belle  :  There  is 
a  little  Fall  of  Water  till  half  Flood,  and  aa  Hour  and  Quarter 

before 


(    126    ) 

before  high  Water,  the  Flood  begins  to  fet  gently  Into  the  Lake 
Belle.  The  River  is  frelli  at  20  Leagues  Diftance  from  the  Mouth 
or  Entrance  of  the  River  Los  Reys.  The  River  and  Lake  abounds 
with  Salmon,  Salmon  Trouts,  Pikes,  Perch  and  Mullets,  and  two 
other  Sorts  of  Fidi  peculiar  to  that  River,  admirable  good,  and 
Lake  Belle  alfo  abounds  with  all  thofe  Sorts  of  Fifli  large  and 
delicate  ;  and  Admiral  de  Fonie  fays,  the  Mullets  catch'd  in  Rios 
Revs  and  Lake  JS^//i',  'are  much  delicater  than  are  to  be  found, 
he  believes,  in  any  Part  of  the  World.  The  ift  of  July  1640 
the  Admiral  failed  (from  the  Ships  in  the  Lake  Belle  in  a  good 
Port  covered  by  a  £ne  Ifland,  before  the  Town  Co/iafet)  from 
tlience  to  a  River  he  named  Parmentiers,  after  his  Comrade  Mr. 
Pannentiers^  who  had  exadlly  marked  every  Thing  in  and  about 
that  River,  and  pafs'd  eight  Falls,  in  all  32  Feet  perpendicular 
from  its  Source  out  of  Lake  Belle  ;  it  falls  into  the  large  Lake  he 
called  hake  de  Fonte^  at  which  Place  they  arrived  the  6th  of  July  ; 
this  Lake  is  160  Leagues  long  and  60  broad  ;  the  Length  is  E. 
N.  E.  and  W.  S.  W,  20,  '^o,  and  in  fome  Places  60  Fathoms 
deep  ;  the  Lake  abounds  with  excellent  Cod  and  Ling,  very  large 
and  well  fed  ;  there  are  feveral  very  large  Iflands,  and  ten  fmall 
ones  ;  they  are  covered  with  flirubby  Woods  ;  the  Mofs  grows 
6  or  7  Foot  long,  with  which  the  Moofe,  a  very  large  Sort  of  Deer 
are  fat  in  the  Winter,  and  other  lefTer  Deer,  as  Fallow,  Gfc.  There 
are  abundance  of  wild  Cherries,  Straw-berries,  Hurtle-berries,  and 
wild  Currants,  and  alfo  of  wild  Fowl,  Heath-cocks  and  Hens, 
likewife  Partridges  and  Turkeys,  and  Sea  Fowl  in  great  Plenty ; 
on  the  South  Side  of  the  Lake  is  a  very  large  fruitful  Ifland,  which 
had  a  great  many  Lihabitants,  and  very  excellent  Timber,  as 
Oak,  Afh,  Elm  and  Fir  Trees,  very  large  and  tall.  The  14th 
of  July  they  failed  out  of  the  E,  N.  E.  End  of  the  Lake  de  Fonte^ 
and  palled  a  Lake  he  named  Eftricho  de  Ronquillo,  34  Leagues 
long,  2  or  3  broad,  20,  26  and  28  Fathom  Water  j  they  pafTed 
this  Streight  in  10  Hours,  having  a  flout  Gale  of  Wind  and  whole 
Ebb,  as  they  failed  more  Eafterly,  the  Country  grew  very  fenfibly 
worfe,  as  it  is  in  the  North  and  South  Paints  oi  America  ;  from  36  to 
the  extreme  Parts,  North  or  South,  the  Weft  differs  not  only  in 
Fertility,  but  in  Temperature  of  Air,  at  leaft  i  o  Degrees,  and  it  is 
warmer  on  the  Weft  Side  than  on  the  Eaft,  as  the  bell  Spanijh  Dif- 
coverers  found  it,   whofe  Bufinefs  it  was,  as  it  is  noted  by  Alvarez 

Acojle 


(   1^7  ) 

ylcojie  and  Mariana.     The   17th  tliey  came  to  an  Indian  Town> 
and  the  Indians  told  their  Interpreter,  Mr.  Pannentiers,  that  a  Httle 
Way  from  them  lay  a  great  Ship,  where  there  never  had  been  one  be- 
fore; they  failed  to  them,  and  found  only  one  Man  advanced  in  Years, 
and  a  Youth  ;  the  Man  was  the  greateft  Man  in  the  mechanical  Parts 
of  the  Mathematicks  he  had  ever  met  with.  The  Admiral's  fecond 
Mate  was  an  Englipman,  an  excellent  Seaman,  as  was  his  Gunner, 
who  had  been  taken  Prifoner  in  Ca?npeachy,  as  well  as  the  Mafter's 
Son.    They  told  him  the  Ship  was  oi New-England,  from  a  Town 
call'd  Bojlon.    The  Owner  and  the  whole  Ship's  Company  came  on 
board  the   30th,  and  the  Navigator  of  the  Ship,  Captain  Shaplcy, 
told  him  his  Owner  was  a  fine  Gentleman,    and  Major  General  of 
the  largeft  Colony  in  New-England,  called  the  MaJfacBufets;  fo  he 
received  him  like  a  Gentleman,  and  told  him,  his  Commiffion  was 
to  make  Prize  of  any  People  feeking  a  North- weft  or  Weft  PafTage 
into  the  South-Sea,    but  he  would  look  upon  them  as  Merchants 
trading  with  the  Natives  for  Beavers,    Otters,    and  other  Furs  and 
Skins,    and  fo  for  a  fmall  Prefent  of  Provifions  he  had  no  need  of, 
he  gave  him  his  Diamond  Ring,    which  cofl  him  i  200  Pieces  of 
Eight,  (which  the  modefl  Gentleman  received  with  Difhculty)  and 
having  given  the  brave  Navigator,    Captain  Shapley,    for  his  fine 
Charts  and  Journals,  1000  Pieces  of  Eight,  and  the  Owner  of  the 
Ship,    Seimor  Gibbons,  a  Quarter  Cafk  of  good  Peruan  Wine,  and 
the    10  Seamen  each  20  Pieces  of  Eight,   the  6th  of  Aiigiift,  with 
as  much  Wind  as  they  could  fly  before,  and  a  Current,  they  arrived 
at  the  firft  Fall  of  the  River   Pamtentiers.    The    nth  oi  Augiijl 
eiglity  lix  Leagues,  and  was  on  the  South  Side  of  the  Lake  Belle, 
on  board  their  Ships,    the  16th  of  Augiijl,    before  the  fine  Town 
Conafj'ct,    where  they  found  all  Things  well,    and  the  honeft  Na- 
tives of  Conafjet   had   in  his  Abfence  treated  his  People  with  great 
Humanity,    and  Captain  De  RoncjuiUo  anfwered  their  Civility  and 
Juftice.  'The  26th  of  Auguft  an  Indian  brought  him  a  Letter  to  Co- 
naffet,  on  the  Lake  Belle,  from  Captain  Bernarda,   dated  the  i  i  th 
of  Auguft,  where  he  fent  him  word  he  was  returned  from  his  cold 
Expedition,   and  did  aflure  him  there  v/as  no  Communication  out 
of  the  SpaniJJj  or  Atlantick  Sea  by  Davis's  Streight ;  for  the  Natives 
had  conducted  one  of  his  Seamen  to  the  Head  of  Davis's  Streight, 
which  terminated  in  a  frefli  Lake  of  about  30  ?v1iles  in  Circumfe- 
rence,   in  the  80th  Degree  N.  Lat.  and  that  there  was  prodigious 
I  Mountains 


(  1^8  ) 


Mountains  North  of  it ;  befides,  the  North-weft  from  that  Lake, 
the  Ice  was  fo  fixed  from  the  Shore  to  i  oo  Fathom  Water,  for 
ought  he  knew  from  the  Creation,  for  Mankind  knew  little  of  the 
wonderful  Works  of  God,  efpecially  near  the  North  and  South 
Poles.  "He  wrote  farther,  that  he  had  failed  from  BaJJ'et  JJland^. 
E.  and  E.  N.  E.  and  N.  E.  by  E.  to  the  79th  Degree  of  Latitude, 
and  then  the  Land  trended  North,  and  the  Ice  refted  on  the  Land. 
He  received  afterwards  a  fecond  Letter  from  Captain  Bernarda, 
dated  from  Minhanfef,  informing  him  he  made  the  Port  of  Arena, 
20  Leagues  up  the  River  Los  Reyes,  the  26th  oi  Augiijly  where  he 
waited  his  Commands.  The  Admiral  having  Store  of  good  fait 
Provifions  of  Venifon  and  Fifli  that  Captain  De  Ronquillo  had  fak- 
ed, by  the  Admiral's  Orders,  in  his  Abfence,  and  100  Hogfheads 
of  Indian  Wheat  or  Maize,  he  failed  the  2d  of  September,  1640, 
accompanied  with  many  of  the  hone  ft  Natives  of  Conajfet,  and  on 
the  5th  oi September,  in  the  Morning,  about  8,  was  at  an  Anchor 
betwixt  Arena  and  Minhanfet,  in  the  River  hoi  Reys,  failing  down 
that  River  to  the  N.  E.  Part  of  the  South-Sea,  after  that  returned 
home,  having  found  there  Avas  no  PafTage  into  the  South-Sea  by 
that  they  call  the  North-weft  PaiFage.  The  Chart  will  make  this 
much  more  demonftrable. 

Tho'  the  Style  of  the  foregoing  Piece  is  not  fo  polite  {being  wrote 
like  a  Man  whofe  Livelihood  depended  on  another  Way,  but  with  Abun- 
dance of  Experie?ice,  and  like  a  Traveller)  yet  there  are  in  it  fo  many 
curious,  and  hitherto  imknow?i  Difcoveries,  that  it  was  thought  wor- 
thy a  Place  in  thefe  Memoirs,  and  'tis  humbly  prefumed  it  will  not  be 
unacceptable  to  thofe  who  have  either  been  in  thefe  Parts,  or  will  give 
themfelves  the  Trouble  of  reviewing  the  Chart. 

By  this  Abflra<5l  of  De  Fonte's  Voyage,  which  has  all  the  Ap- 
pearance of  being  authentick,  it  is  plain  that  there  is  a  navigable 
Paflage  from  Hudfon's  Bay  to  California,  and  tho'  it  has  not  had 
Juftice  done  to  it  in  the  Tranflation",  and  probably  has  not  been 
exadlly  copied  or  printed  ;  yet,  giving  an  Allowance  for  Errors  of 
that  kind,  and  it  has  throughout  the  Air  of  Truth.  There  may 
be  probably  fome  Errors  in  the  Figures  relating  to  the  Degrees  of 
Latitude  and  L  eagues  in  their  Courfe  ;  for  the  Length  of  the  Lake 
De  Fonte  is  faid  to  be  160  Leagues,  and  the  Streight  Ronquillo  34. 

Upon 


(    129    ) 

Upon  his  Return  from  the  Bojion  Ship  he  is  faid  to  have  got  again 
to  the  Moutla  of  the  River  Pdrmentiers  in  5  Days,  with  a  ftout 
Gale  and  brifk  Current,  which  he  fays  was  80  Leagues,  which 
plainly  ought  to  have  been  180,  otherwife  with  that  ftout  Gale  and 
Current  it  would  have  been  but  16  Leagues  in  24  Hours,  and  the 
other  would  be  but  36,  which  was  reafonable  Sailing. 

As  to  his  faying  there  was  no  PaiTage,  altho'  he  met  the  Bojion 
Ship,  I  take  his  Meaning  to  be,  that  either  Bcrnarda  found  no 
Paffage  by  the  North-weft  of  Davis's  Streights,  the  Way  probably 
tile  Spaniards  expedted  it ;  or  that  by  his  paffing  up  one  River  to 
Lake  Belle,  and  down  another  to  Lake  De  Fonte,  by  what  he 
called  Sharps  or  Falls,  he  apprehended  there  was  no  navigable  Paf- 
fage for  Ships  the  Way  he  went,  or  he  defired  to  difguife  it,  to 
prevent  other  Europeans  from  attempting  it  to  his  Country's  Preju- 
dice, and  therefore  he  did  not  publilh  his  Chart  which  he  refers  to 
in  his  Letter.  It  is  plain  that  it  was  an  Ifland  below  the  Lake 
Belle  which  divided  the  River  Los  Reys  from  the  River  Parmenti- 
ers,  and  as  the  Sea  in  Lake  De  Fonte  was  upon  a  Level  with 
the  Sea  at  the  Mouth  of  Rio  Los  Reys,  and  the  Tide  flowed 
up  that  River  into  the  Lake  Belle,  it  muft  alfo  flow  up  the  River 
Parmentiers,  and  the  Sharps  and  Falls  he  obferved  in  that  River, 
were  only  the  Sharps  occafioned  by  the  feveral  Ebbs  he  had  in  fail- 
ing down  that  River,  being  5  Days  in  pafling  to  the  Sea  ;  fo  that 
the  great  and  true  Paflage  was  without  that  Ifland,  which  the  Ad- 
miral mi  fled  by  getting  among  the  Iflands  in  the  Archipelago  of  St. 
Lazarus. 

It  is  a  Misfortune  his  Chart  was  not  publiflied,  which  would 
have  given  more  Light  as  to  the  Lands,  Lakes  and  Rivers  he  men- 
tions, now  we  can  only  guefs  in  the  Dark,  and  may  be  miftaken  ; 
however  I  fliall  venture  to  give  my  Opinion  of  their  Situation,  tho^ 
I  may  not  judge  right. 

As  I  apprehend  it,  the  Archipelago  of  St.  Lazarus,  and  Rio  Los 
Reys,  and  Lake  Belle,  and  alfo  the  Lake  of  Velajco,  are  no  Part  of 
North  America,  but  a  Country  diftind  from  it,  the  Paflage  lying 
betwixt  thofe  Lands  and  Anerica ;  for  in  his  Journal  he  fays  he 
failed  866  Leagues  N,  N.  W.  from  Cape  Abel'in  Calif oniia,  in 
Lat.  26°.  the  laft  260  of  which  was  in  crooked  Channels  among 
Iflands,  until  he  got  loRio  Los  Reys,  in  Lat.  53°.  flnce  by  all  other 
Accounts  the  Coaft  of  America  falls  off*  N.  E.  from  Cape  Blanco. 

S  This 


(  130  ) 


This  mufl  have  been  a  Country  diflindl  from  America ;    here  he 
found  two  Rivers,    one  came  from  the  North,   from  the  Lake  Ve- 
lafco,    which  Bernarda  failed  up,    and  the  other  came  from  the  N. 
E.  from  the  Lake  Belle,    which  lay  betwixt  Lat.  54°.  and  550. 
Upon  what  Point  the  River  Parmentiers  ran  out  of  the  Lake  Belle 
is  not  mentioned  ;  but  as  Rio  Los  Reys  ran  S.  W.  we  may  fuppofe 
the  other  ran  E.  or  S.  E.  and  fell  into  the  Sea  which  he  calls  the 
Lake  de  Fonfe,    in  near  the  fame  Latitude,  that  Lake,  or  Arm  of 
the  Sea,  ilretching  ttience  E.  N.  E.  160  Leagues ;  if  there  was  any 
Weft  Variation,    as   there  is  now,    the  N.  E.  End  of  that  Lake 
might  be  in  Lat.   57  or  58°.  almoft  Weft  of  Churchill,    and  the 
Streight  Ro7iqiiillo  running  ftill  N.  E.  might  end  in  Lat.  59°,  In  two 
Days  from  thence  he  came  to  an  Indian  Town,    probably  about 
Lat.  60°.  near  which  the  Bojloji  Ship  lay ;    fo  that  it  may  be  ima- 
gined that  the  Bojlon   Ship  had  pafTed  into  fome  of  the  Openings 
near  Whale  Cove,  and  got  to  Lat.  60°.  or  perhaps  to  59°.  and  was 
trading  for  Furs,   and  the  Ship  might  have  been  afterwards  loft  or 
furprized  by  thtEJkimaux  upon  her  Return,  having  but  12  or  ij 
Hands  on  board,    iince  no  Account  of  this  Voyage  was  ever  tranf- 
mitted  from  Bojlon.     Upon  Enquiry  made  by  Order  of  Sir  Charles 
Wager ^  whether  any  of  the  Name  of  Shapley,  which  was  the  Ma- 
fter's  Name,    lived  at  that  time  in  Bojlon,    it  appeared  from  fome 
Writings  that  fome  of  that  Name  then  lived  in  Boflon,  which  adds 
to  the  Weight  of  De  Fonte's  Letter,    and  confirms  its  being  an  au- 
thentick  Journal. 


A  N 


A  N 

ABSTRACT 

O  F 

ALL    THE   DISCOVERIES 

Which  have  been  Publifli'd  of  the 

ISLANDS   and  COUNTRIES 

I  N    T  H  E 

Great  Weftern  Ocean, 

BETWEEN 

AMERICA,  INDIA  and  CHINA, 

AND 

How  Great  a  TRACT  yet  remains  to  be  difcovered 

Between  The 

Arctick  and  Antarctick  Circles  : 

WITH 

The  Advantages  to  BRITAIN  ixom  fuch  Difcoveries,  in  cafe 
a  Passage  fhould  be  found  from  HUDSON'S  BAT  to  that 
Western  Ocean,  which  has  lately  been  undertaken  with  great 
Probability  of  Success, 


(  ^33  ) 


A  N 


ABSTRACT 

O  F 

All  the  Difcoveries  which  have  been  publiftied 
of  the  Iflands  and  Countries  in  the  Great 
TFeftern  Ocean^  between  America^  India^ 
and  Chinaj  Sec, 

JINCE  there  are  the  greateft  Prefumptions  of  a  Paf- 
fage  to  the  Weftern  Ocean,  from  the  late  Difcoveries 
made  on  board  the  Furnace  in  Wager  River,  and  in 
the  broken  Lands  near  Marble  IJland,  it  may  be  pro- 
per to  take  notice  of  what  Difcoveries  have  hitherto 
been  made  in  that  great  Pacifick  Ocean,  as  it  is  called^ 
as  well  in  the  temperate  Zones  on  each  Side  of  the  Tropicks,  as  be- 
tween the  Tropicks  from  Atnerica,  on  the  Eaft  Side  of  that  Sea, 
to  the  Coafl  of  Japan,    China,   the  Philippines^  and  Neiv-Guinea, 

on 


(  134  ) 


on  the  Weft  Side  of  the  fame ;  and  alfo  give  Reafons  why  hitherto 
fo  few  Difcoveries  have  been  made,  or  divulged  when  made,  in  fo 
large  a  Traft,  which  makes  very  near  one  Third  of  the  Globe  ; 
when  at  the  fame  time  there  are  very  large  Countries,  and  almoft 
an  infinite  Number  of  Iflands  difperfed  through  it,  part  only  of 
which  have  been  difcovered  and  divulged ;  and  the  vaftly  greater 
Part  remains  undifcovered  to  us  in  Europe,  as  the  greateft  Number 
of  the  Iflands  yet  difcovered  are  extremely  populous,  and  probably 
moft  of  them  abound  in  the  feveral  rich  Mines  and  Commodities 
found  in  other  Countries  in  their  feveral  Latitudes,  their  further 
Difcovery,  and  eftablifhing  a  Commerce  with  them,  may  be  of 
immenfe  Benefit  to  Britain^  in  cafe  this  PafiTage  is  found,  as  it  will 
give  us  a  more  immediate  Faffage  and  Courfe  to  them,  than  to  any 
other  Nation  in  Europe,  except  the  Spaniards,  who  might  have  a 
Trade  crofs  the  Ifihmus  of  Ai7ierica  ;  and  we  may  have  the  earlieft 
and  choiceft  Settlements  and  Fadlories  in  proper  Climates,  fecuring 
to  ourfelves  the  beft  Harbours  in  the  beft  Parts  of  America ;  from 
whence  we  may  carry  on  a  Commerce  as  well  to  Japan  and  China, 
as  to  the  more  Southerly  Parts  of  America,  and  all  the  Countries 
and  Iflands  in  the  South-Sea,  yet  to  be  difcovered,  as  far  as  New- 
Giiinea  and  the  Philippines. 

I  fhall  therefore  firft  give  the  Reafon  why  fo  little  has  yet  been 
difcovered,  notwithftariding  the  Number  of  Englijh,  Dutch,  and 
'Spanip  Ships,  which  have  failed  round  the  Globe,  and  many  French 
Ships  which  have  been  alfo  in  thofe  Seas ;  and  then  fhall  take  no- 
tice of  fuch  Journals  as  have  been  publifhed  of  thofe  Ships  which 
have  been  in  thofe  Seas,  and  have  made  any  Difcovery  worth  tak- 
ing notice  of;  and  from  thefe  Accounts  fhew  how  much  has  been 
difcovered,  and  what  remains  ftill  to  be  difcovered,  and  then  pro- 
pofe  the  moft  convenient  Places  to  make  Settlements  in,  from 
whence  further  Difcoveries  may  be  made  with  the  greateft  Hopes 
of  Succefs,  and  enumerate  fome  of  the  great  Advantages  we  may 
reap  from  fuch  Settlements  and  Difcoveries. 

The  Reafon  why  greater  Difcoveries  have  not  been  made  in  that 
vaft  Tra(5t,  notwithftanding  the  Number  of  Ships  that  have  been 
in  thofe  Seas,  I  take  to  be  this  ;  that  moft  of  the  Ships  that  went 
into  thofe  Seas,  or  furrounded  the  Globe,  eitlier  went  to  enrich 
themfelves  with  the  Plunder  of  the  Spaniards  on  the  Weftern  Ame- 
rican Coaft,  or  to  carry  on  a  clandeftine  Trade  with  them,  or  elfe  to 

I  find 


(  135  ) 

find  out  a  fhort  Pafllige  to  the  Eaft  Indies  and  Aloluccoes,  fo  as  to  avoid 
the  Poriuguefe,  who  were  at  firft  Mafters  of  the  Indian  Seas, that  they 
might  more  eafily  come  at  the  Riches  of  the  Eaft  ;  and  therefore 
all  thefe  Ships,  upon  paffing  the  Magellanick  Streights,  or  thofe  of 
he  Mair,  by  Cape  Horn,  failed  clofe  along  the  American  Coaft,  to 
get  the  fooner  into  a  warm  Latitude,  and  into  the  Trade-wind,  and 
alfo  to  get  Wood,  and  Water,  and  frefli  Provilions,  for  their  fa- 
tigued and  lick  Men  ;  and  for  thefe  Reafons  did  not  attempt  Dif- 
coveries  in  the  Southern  temperate  Zone,  at  any  Diftance  from  the 
American  Coaft,  from  the  Latitude  of  Cape  Horn,  in  near  58  De- 
grees, to  the  Latitude  of  28  Degrees,  where  they  generally  met 
the  Trade-wind  ;  for  if  they  had  been  at  any  Diftance  from  the 
Coaft,  when  they  came  into  the  Trade-wind,  they  could  not  then 
pretend  to  make  the  Coaft,  againft  both  Wind  and  Current ;  there- 
fore all  thofe  who  went  to  carry  on  a  clandeftine  Trade,  or  to 
plunder  the  Spaniards,  kept  as  clofe  as  they  could  to  the  American 
Coaft,  and  thofe  who  went  to  find  a  PafiTage  to  India,  got  out  of 
the  variable  Winds,  into  the  Trade,  as  foon  as  they  could,  and  ne- 
ver endeavoured  to  go  farther  Weft  than  the  Illands  of  "John  Fir- 
nando,  until  they  got  into  the  Way  of  the  Trade- wind,  within  28 
Degrees  S.  Lat. 

The  Spaniards,  who  were  the  only  People  who  failed  in  the 
South-Sea  to  make  Difcoveries,  (except  3  Dutch  Ships  fent  by  their 
Weji  India  Company  in  1721)  after  making  fome,  concealed  them 
all  they  could  fi-om  the  reft  of  Europe;  and  where  any  were  pub- 
lifhed,  took  up  the  whole  Impreflion,  finding  that  the  EngliJJ:)  and 
Dutch  had  found  the  Way  into  thofe  Seas,  they  being  fenfible  that 
they  had  dilcovered  in  America  more  Countries  than  they  were  able 
to  protedt  or  defend  ;  and  if  thefe  Countries  were  difcovered  and 
divulged,  it  would  have  tempted  the  Englijh  and  Dutch  to  make 
Settlements  there,  which  would  not  only  enrich  them  by  their 
Trade,  but  enable  them  to  carry  on  a  private  Trade  with  Fern  and 
Chili,  and  all  their  Southern  and  Weftern  Coaft,  and  perhaps  dif- 
poffefs  them  of  fome  of  their  Conquefts  and  Settlements,  and  there- 
fore they  took  all  the  prudent  Methods  they  could  to  check  thefe 
Difcoveries,  and  prevent  their  being  divulged ;  notwithftanding 
which,  I  fhall  fhew,  from  what  Difcoveries  have  been  made,  that 
the  greateft  Part  of  thefe  Seas  are  full  of  rich  populous  Iflands,  and 
that  there  is  the  greateft  Probability,  that  in  the  higher  Latitudes  ia 

thefe 


(  136  ) 


thefe  temperate  Zones,  there  are  great  Countries  equivalent  to  Con- 
tinents, fince  the  Continent  of  America  is  only  a  greater  Ifland, 
and  ours  of  Europe,  Afia  and  Africa,  is  furrounded  by  the  Sea, 
and  are  therefore  called  Continents,  as  they  are  greater  than  the 
,  fmaller  Iflands  furrounding  them  ;  fo  all  other  great  Countries  or 
Iflands,  furrounded  by  the  Sea,  may  be  called  Continents  in  refpedt 
to  the  leffer  Iflands  on  their  feveral  Coafts. 

To  illuftrate  this,  and  fliew  that  thefe  are  the  true  Reafons  why 
fo  few  Difcoveries  have  been  made  in  thofe  Seas,  I  fhall  give  fhort 
Extracts  from  the  Journals  which  have  been  publifhed  of  all  thofe 
who  have  furrounded  the  Globe,  or  navigated  in  thofe  Seas,  who 
have  made  any  Difcoveries  worth  remarking,  and  then  make  fomc 
Obfervations  upon  their  Journals. 

Magella7i,  with  five  Ships,  was  the  firft  who  failed  through 
thefe  Seas  in  1519,  and  found  out  the  Streights  called  after  him, 
and  by  that  Way  pafTed  to  the  Philippines.  He  died  in  India,  but 
his  Crew  were  the  firft  that  furrounded  the  Globe,  Sebajlian  de  Ca~ 
no  being  Captain.  After  pafling  the  Streights  he  failed  near  the 
American  Coaft,  until  he  got  within  the  Tropicks,  and  then  being 
in  hafle  to  get  to  India,  he  did  not  attempt  to  make  Difcoveries, 
but  failed  N.  W.  from  20  Degrees  S.  Lat.  to  13  Degrees  N.  Lat. 
that  he  might  fall  in  with  India  North  of  the  Line.  In  his  Courfe 
he  faw  but  3  Iflands  South  of  the  Line,  one  in  20  Degrees  unin- 
habited, which  he  called  Copinghar,  another  in  1 5  Degrees,  which 
he  called  Sumbdit,  and  the  third  in  5  Degrees  South  Latitude,  and 
120  long  J  the  two  laft  were  200  Leagues  afunder  j  he  takes  no 
notice  whether  thefe  laft  were  inhabited  or  not.  In  13°.  N.  Lat. 
and  146".  Long,  he  difcovered  the  Marian  ov  Ladrone  lha.nds,  and 
in  io°.  N.  Lat.  and  161°.  Long,  he  failed  through  the  Archipelago 
of  St.  Lazarre,  a  Number  of  Iflands  between  the  Marian  and  Phi- 
lippines, and  thence  difcovered  the  Philippines. 

Sir  Francis  Drake  was  the  next  who  circumnavigated  the  Globe 
in  1537.  He  went  only  with  Defign  to  plunder  the  Spaniards, 
and  therefore  coafted  America  as  far  as  California,  feeing  only  one 
Ifland  Southweft  of  Terra  del  Fuego,  where  he  was  drove  by  a 
Storm.  After  pafiing  the  Streights,  he  landed  on  Califorjiia  to  re- 
frefli  his  Men,  which  he  called  No'-ca  Albion,  in  about  Lat.  38°.  in 
a  fine  Bay,  of- which  he  took  PoflTeffion  for  the  Crown  oi  England, 
by  the  Confent  of  the  Natives.  He  failed  from  thence  for  Lidia 
2  South- 


(  137  ; 

Southwefterly,  to  get  into  the  Trade-wind,  and  fell  in  with  Land 
in  Lat.  8°.  North,  among  the  Ldbrone  Iflands,  and  therefore  made 
no  Difcovery,  only  endeavouring  to  bring  home  the  Treafure  he 
had  got  from  the  Spaniards  by  the  fafeft  Paffage. 

Sir  Thomas  Candtjh,  in  1586,  was  the  next  who  failed  round  the 
Globe ;  he  alfo  made  his  Courfe  along  the  America)!  Coaft,  and 
from  the  Coaft  of  New-Spain  failed  Weft  for  Ifidia,  in  the  ufual 
Latitude  of  13°.  which  the  Spaniards  take  to  the  Philippines^ 
touching  at  Guam.  He  failed  it  in  45  Days,  this  Courfe  being  cho- 
fen  as  the  readieft  and  fafeft  Paffage,  being  free  from  Iflands  until 
they  reach  Guam,  and  therefore  he  made  no  Difcovery. 

Noort,  a  Dutchman,  was  the  next,  and  he  alfo  kept  along  the 
American  Coaft  until  he  pafled  the  Line.  The  20th  of  May  he 
failed  North- weft  from  5°.  N.  Lat.  until  he  got  into  1 5°.  the  Lat. 
of  Guam,  and  arrived  there  the  1 5th  of  September  ;  he  therefore, 
by  keeping  much  the  fame  Courfe  as  the  others,  made  no  farther 
Difcovery,  but  had  fome  Rain  in  his  Paffage,  which  is  oftener  had 
near  Land  than  in  the  open  Sea,  within  the  Courfe  of  the  Trade- 
winds. 

Spilbergen,  another  Dutchman,  in  16 14  followed  thefe,  and 
coafted  America  until  he  came  to  Port  Natividad,  on  the  Mexican 
Coaft,  in  Lat.  19°.  and  failed  thence  for  the  Ladrone  Iflands  on  the 
20th  of  November.  The  26th  he  was  in  Lat.  20°.  26'.  December 
the  3d  he  faw  two  Iflands.  The  4th  he  faw  a  Rock  in  Lat.  19^.  53 
Leagues  from  the  American  Coaft.  The  6th  he  faw  an  Ifland,  with 
5  Hills,  and  falling  into  Lat.  13°.  he  got  to  Guam  the  23d  of  Janu- 
ary. The  four  laft  went  without  any  View  of  making  Difcoveries, 
their  Defign  being  to  plunder  the  Spaniards. 

The  next  who  went  was  Schooten,  a  Dutchman,  m  1 6 1 5,  with 
Defign  to  find  out  a  new  Paflfage  to  India  by  America  ;  he  found 
out  Lemair's  Straight,  and  the  Paffage  by  Cape  Horn,  in  ^y\  48'. 
S.  Lat.  He  kept  in  with  the  American  Coaft  until  he  arrived  at 
John  Fernando"?,  Ifland  in  34°.  S.  Lat.  March  the  3d  he  left  that 
Ifland,  fteering  North-weft  to  get  into  the  Trade- wind,  and  in  i  5°. 
\z.  S.  Lat.  925  Leagues  from  the  Coaft  of  Peru,  faw  an  Ifland 
which  he  called  Dogs  Ijland.  The  14th,  100  Leagues  further 
Weft,  in  Lat.  1 5".  he  came  to  another  Ifland,  where  he  could  get 
no  Ground  upon  Sounding,  and  called  it  the  Ijland  "without  Ground. 
It  was  a  low  Ifland,  full  of  Cocoas,  well  inhabited  ;  they  were  of  a 

T  reddilli 


(  138  ) 

reddifh  Colour,  had  long  black  Hair,  but  having  no  Anchorage 
he  could  not  flop  there.  There  was  no  hollow  Sea  from  the  South, 
Co  he  apprehended  there  was  more  Land  to  the  Southward.  On 
the  1 6th  he  got  to  another  low  Ifland,  but  found  no  Anchorage, 
15  Leagues  from  the  other,  in  Lat.  14°.  46'.  he  called  it  ^^if^r 
IJla?id,  but  faw  no  Inhabitants  in  it,  it  being  often  overflowed  by  the 
Sea.  The  1 8th  he  faw  another  low  Illand  he  called  Fly  IJland^  from 
the  vafl  Number  of  Flies  that  covered  his  Boat  when  he  fent  it 
afhore,  which  plagued  him  on  board  the  Ship  for  fome  Days.  They 
faw  fom.e  Savages  on  this  Ifland ;  it  was  in  Lat.  1 5°.  The  9th  of 
May,  in  Lat,  15°.  40'.  15 10  Leagues  from  Feru,  he  faw  a  large 
Boat,  like  a  double  Canoe,  coming  from  the  Southward,  which 
had  23  Men,  Women  and  Children,  in  it,  of  a  reddifh  Colour  j 
the  Women  had  fhort  Hair,  the  Men  long,  black  Hair,  curled. 
After  firing  at,  and  killing  fome  of  them  before  they  would  fub- 
mit,  they  took  them  on  board,  and  after  detaining  them  for  fome 
time,  they  gave  them  fome  Trifles,  and  let  them  go  off;  upon 
which  they  in  the  Boat  failed  away  S.  E.  which  was  probably  the 
Way  to  their  own  Country,  from  whence  they  came.  On  the  loth 
they  faw  a  high  Illand  S.  E.  of  them,  in  16°.  10'.  S.  Lat.  full  of 
Inhabitants,  which  he  called  Cocos  Ifland,  and  near  it  another  Ifland, 
which  he  called  'Traitors  Ifland,  from  the  Natives  Behaviour  to 
them-  On  the  14th  they  faw  another  Ifland,  which  they  called 
Hope  Ifland^  about  7  Leagues  from  the  other.  The  1 9th  they 
failed  North,  and  came  to  two  other  Illands  full  of  tall  Men  of  a 
yellowifh  brown  Colour,  he  called  it  Horn  Ifland,  it  was  in  Lat. 
14°.  56'.  They  failed  from  that  Ifland  the  ift  of  °June  ;  the  2  ifl 
they  faw  other  Iflands  where  the  Men  were  blacker ;  they  had  Bows 
and  Arrows,  which  were  the  fir  ft  they  had  feen  in  the  South-Sea  ; 
they  were  in  4°.  47'.  S.  Lat.  The  25th  they  faw  St.  Johti's  IJle,  1840 
Leagues  from  Feru  ;  this  was  near  the  Coaft  of  New-Guinea,  and. 
the  Natives  were  all  black. 

Le  Her  mite  went  from  Holland  with  10  Ships  in  1623  j  he  died, 
and  Scapenham  returned  the  ufual  Courfe  by  the  Ladrones. 

Dampier,  who  was  among  the  Buccaneers  in  the  South-Sea  in 
1686,  alfo  coafled  America,  and  made  no  Difcoverles,  feeing  no 
new  Iflands  but  the  Gallopagos  under  the  Line,  near  the  Ameri- 
can Coafl:,    which  were  uninhabited.     When  he  fail'd  for  India, 

he 


(   139  ) 


he  failed  in  the  old  Courfe  until  he  came  to  Guam,  one  of  the  L^- 
drone M\.ix\As,  and  iaw  no  Iflands  in  his  Paflage. 

The  Duke  and  Dutchefs  of  Brijiol,  fitted  out  as  Privateers  in 
1708,  coafted  America  to  Cape  St.  Lucas  in  California,  in 
23°.  10'.  N.  Lat.  and  fi-om  thence  failed  S.  W.  until  they  fell  into 
Lat.  13°.  30'.  In  Lat.  18°.  and  2°.  27'.  Weft  from  Cape  ^if.  i.?*:- 
fi^j  they  faw  feveral  Sea- Fowl,  and  in  Lat.  16°.  32'.  and  Long.  3°. 
46'.  they  faw  many  Crawfifli,  Symptoms  of  their  being  near 
Iflands,  but  they  faw  no  Land  until  they  got  to  Guam. 

Captain  Shehock  was  alfo  fitted  out  upon  the  fame  Defign  in 
1719,  and  after  lofing  his  Ship,  and  many  Difafters,  he  touched  at 
3  Iflands  called  Les  tres  Marias,  on  the  Mexican  Coaft,  near  Ca- 
lifornia,, and  afterwards  failing  from  Cape  St.  Lucas,  difcovered 
an  Ifland  1 1  o  Leagues  from  it,  about  7  or  8  Leagues  round,  called 
after  him  Shehock's  Ijle.  At  500  Leagues  Diftance  they  had  We- 
flerly  Winds,  and  then  fell  into  the  ufual  Courfe  to  Guam. 

There  are  no  other  Voyages  publiflied,  that  I  have  feen,  of  any 
other  Ships  that  have  failed  round  the  Globe,  except  a  Voyage  late- 
ly made  by  3  Dutch  Ships  in  1721,  who  have  made  confiderable 
Difcoveries,  which  I  fliall  give  an  Abftrad:  of,  after  taking  notice 
of  what  Difcoveries  have  been  made  and  publiflied  by  the  Spaniards, 
in  failing  from  the  Philippines  and  China  to  America,  and  of  fome 
others  fitted  out  in  Peru  and  Mexico  to  make  Difcoveries  in  the 
Southern  Ocean,  part  of  which  were  publifhed  in  Spain,  but  the 
greater  Part  kept  concealed,  and  then  fliall  mention  the  Dutch  Dif- 
coveries from  Batavia  by  'Tafman. 

Gama,  in  a  Voyage  he  made  from  America  to  China,  coafl:ed  a 
large  Country  Eafliward  of  Japan,  in  about  Lat.  45°.  but  no  Ac- 
count of  it  is  publiflied  that  I  have  feen,  it  being  only  taken  notice 
of  in  feveral  Maps  and  Charts  of  thofe  Seas. 

The  Dutch  feized  at  the  Port  of  Namboe,  in  Lat.  39°.  on  the 
N.  E.  of  Japan,  were  fl:rid:ly  examined,  whether  their  Intention, 
infl:ead  of  going  to  Tartary,  where  they  faid  they  were  failing,  had 
not  been  to  find  out  their  golden  Iflands,  one  of  which  was  60 
Leagues  Eafl;  of  Tedfo. 

In  1642  the  Dutch  fent  Ships  to  endeavour  to  find  a  Paflage  to 
Europe  from  Japan  by  Tartary  -,  they  difcovered  the  Streights  of 
Urias^  and  Land  North  from  Japan,  from  Lat.  40°.  to  48^.  the 
Land  of  Tedfo.     The  Inhabitants  were  of  a  fallow  Complexion  in 

T  2  Lat. 


(   I40  ) 


Lat.  43*^.  and  were  very  populous,  and  the  Seas  full  of  Fifli.  In 
Lat.  44°.  30'.  it  was  mountainy,  and  full  of  Silver  Mines.  In  Lat. 
46°.  it  looked  like  England.  In  Lat.  48".  were  fmall  Hills  co- 
vered with  Grais. 

In  1522,  one  of  the  Ships  that  failed  to  the  Moluccas  with  Ma- 
gellan^ failed  from  Tidore  to  endeavour  to  get  to  New-Spain,  under 
Gonzalo  Gomes  de  Spinofa ;  they  failed  N.  E.  to  Lat.  16°.  where 
they  found  two  Iflands  they  called  St.  John's,  and  in  that  Courfe 
came  to  another  Illand  in  Lat.  20°.  which  they  called  Griega, 
where  fome  of  the  Natives  went  on  board  them ;  they  continued 
their  Voyage  four  Months  until  they  came  to  Lat.  42°.  where  they 
faw  Seals  and  Tunnies,  Signs  of  being  near  Land  ;  they  found  the 
Climate  very  cold  after  leaving  the  warm  Latitudes ;  they  returned 
back  to  Tidore. 

Saavedra,  in  croffing  the  Line  North  from  New  Guinea,  found 
an  Illand  he  called  de  los  Pintados,  inhabited  by  painted  People, 
and  in  Lat.  10°.  or  12°.  found  many  more  he  called  les  Jardines ; 
he  intended  to  have  failed  to  America,  but  the  Trade  Winds  pre- 
vailing, he  could  not ;  he  died  on  the  Voyage,  and  the  Ship  re- 
turned to  the  Moluccas. 

In  1542,  Mendofa  fent  Ships  from  New  Spain  to  the  North  of 
California,  to  difcover  the  Coafi:  near  Cape  del  Enganno  ;  .  they 
failed  to  the  Sierras  Nevados,  or  fnowy  Mountains  in  Lat.  40°. 
there  they  pretended  they  faw  Ships  that  had  on  their  Stems  Birds 
they  called  Alcatrazios,  their  Yards  they  faid  were  gilded,  and 
Prows  laid  over  with  Silver,  faid  to  have  come  from  China  or 
Japan. 

At  the  fame  time  he  fent  a  Fleet  under  the  Command  of  Ruix 
Lopez  de  Villa  Lobas,  from  Natividod  to  Mindanao,  one  of  the 
Philippine  Iflands  ;  the  3  ifl  oi  OBober ,  in  their  Paffage,  they  faw 
the  Ifle  of  St.  Thomas,  which  Grivolga  had  before  difcovered, 
and  beyond  it  in  Lat.  1 7°.  they  faw  another  they  called  Nublada 
or  the  Cloudy  Jjland  ;  from  thence  they  failed  to  another  they 
called  Roca  Partida ;  the  3d  of  September  they  came  to  certain 
Flats  or  Baxas,  6  or  7  Fathom  deep  ;  the  i  i^th  they  got  to  the 
Iflands  de  los  Reys,  and  de  los  Canales,  and  beyond  them  other 
Iflands  in  Lat.  10°.  in  the  Midft  of  which  they  anchored,  and 
took  in  Wood  and  Water  ;  in  January  they  failed  from  thence, 
and  found  other  Iflands,  where  they  were  faluted  in  the  Spanijh 
I  Tongue, 


{   I40 

Tongue,  having  been  chriflened  by  Miffionaries  fi"om  India  ;  they 
called  thefe  the  Ifles  de  las  Criizcs,  or  de  los  Matelotes. 

Michael  Lopez  failed  the  21  ft  of  November  1565  from  Nativi- 
dad,  and  failed  South-wellerly  until  he  got  into  North  Lat.  9°. 
looking  there  for  the  Ifles  de  los  Keys,  failing  between  Lat.  9°.  and 
10°.  50  Days,  they  £iw  an  Ifland  inhabited  by  Fifhers,  and  many 
uninhabited  Iflands  :  He  then  altered  his  Courle,  and  got  into 
North  Lat.  13°.  and  on  the  17th  of  'January  got  to  Guam. 

Frajicis  de  Gualle  in  pafTing  from  Chiiza  to  America  in  1 5  84, 
faw  the  Iflands  de  Lequeo,  260  Leagues  E.  by  N.  from  Formofa, 
which  were  rich  in  Gold  :  In  29°.  N.  Lat.  70  Leagues  Eafl  of 
yapa?!^  he  faw  Iflands  in  which  were  feveral  Volcanoes  ;  and  30 
Leagues  farther  Eaft,  in  Lat.  32°.  and  33°.  he  faw  four  Iflands  ^ 
farther  Eafl:  he  faid  were  many  Iflands,  in  which  was  Gold,  Cot- 
ton Cloths  and  Fifli ;  300  Leagues  E.  by  N.  from  Japan,  he  found 
a  hollow  Sea,  which  continued  fo  for  700  Leagues,  until  within 
200  Leagues  of  California  ;  from  which  Time  they  had  no  hol- 
low Sea  ;  they  faw  in  their  PaflTage  many  Whales,  Albicoves  and 
Bonetas,  and  fell  in  with  Land  in  Lat.  37°.  30'.  which  was  a 
fine  Country  fi-ee  from  Snow  ;  he  faw  the  lile  St.  Augufiine  in 
Lat.  30°.  45'.  and  the  Ifle  of  Cedars  in  Lat.  28°.  15'.  which  were 
near  the  Californian  Coafl:. 

Cabrillo  in  1542,  failing  Northwards  along  the  Coafl:  of  Cali- 
fornia, came  to  Cape  Enganno  in  Lat.  31°.  to  Cape  de  la  Cruz 
m  33°.  the  Town  of  Canoes  in  Lat.  35°.  Cape  Galena  farther 
North,  and  beyond  it  Port  Foffejjion  ;  he  failed  to  Lat.  44°. 
North, 

Gemelli  took  his  Paflage  on  board  the  Ship  trading  from  the 
Philippines  to  Acapulco  in  1697  ;  he  failed  the  29th  of  June  from 
Cavite  in  Manila  ;  on  the  i  ft  of  Augufl  he  met  the  Acapidco  Ship 
at  the  Streights  of  Manila ;  the  6th  of  September  he  faw  the  Ma- 
rian Iflands  in  19°.  20'.  N.  Lat,  thefe,.  by  others  called  tlie  La- 
drones,  flretch  from  Japan  to  the  Line  ;  the  2  5th  being  in  Lat. 
29°.  3'.  they  faw  two  fmall  Rocks  in  about  Lat.  30°.  the  30th 
they  were  in  Lat.  31°.  58.  their  Courfe  N.  E.  by  E.  in  Lat,  30°. 
there  is  an  Ifland  they  apprehended  to  be  rich  in  Gold  ;  October 
3d  thev  were  in  Lat.  33°.  20'.  they  faw  two  Ducks  and  fmall 
Birds,  fuppofed  to  come  from  an  Ifland  called  Pica  de  Plata  ; 
which  was  then  about  30   Leagues  Diftance  from   them  j    they 

were 


(    142^    ) 

were  then  in  Lat.  34°.  7'.  the  12th  they  were  in  Lat.  37°.  44'. 
the  Sky  was  cloudy,  and  then  had  fraall  Rain  ;  36°.  42'.  is  the 
higheft  Latitude  they  choofe  to  fail  in,  during  that  Voyage  to 
California.  The  Sf.  Jofeph,  a  Spanip  Ship,  was  in  a  former 
Voyage  forced  upon  an  unknown  Ifland  in  Lat.  18°.  20'.  which 
they  named  St.  Sebaffians  ;  the  Ifland  was  fmall,  plain,  and  full 
of  pleafant  Trees  ;  the  21  ft  they  were  in  Lat.  36".  37'.  where 
they  fav/  a  Dove  they  fuppofed  came  from  Donna  Maria  Laxara, 
an  Ifland  in  Lat.  31°.  thefewere  not  Land  Doves,  but  a  Sea-fowl, 
being  web-footed  J  the  25th,  being  in  Lat.  35°.  10'.  they  had 
Rain  and  Thunder,  and  fuppofed  they  were  near  fome  Land  ; 
the  3ifl:  in  Lat.  36°.  40'.  they  faw  a  Piece  of  wrought  Wood  ; 
November  3d,  they  faw  more  Wood  ;  the  14th  in  Lat.  38°.  they 
law  a  large  Branch  of  a  Tree  ;  the  i  5th  they  iaw  feveral  tunny 
Fifli  ufually  feen  near  Land  j  the  19th  in  Lat.  39°.  38'.  they  faw 
50  Ducks  ;  the  20th  it  hail'd  for  the  flril  Time  in  the  Voyage  ; 
they  fuppofed  they  were  then  within  80  Leagues  of  Cape  Men- 
docino ;  the  24th  they  faw  another  Piece  of  a  Tree ;  December  3d 
they  faw  other  Signs  of  Land,  and  then  firft  faw  a  Weed  called 
Barras  ;  the  9th  in  Lat.  37^  38'.  the  faw  fome  Snakes,  and  had 
but  little  Wind  from  that  to  the  12th,  fo  made  but  fmall  Way  ; 
they  were  then  in  Lat,  37°.  and  faw  more  Weeds  ;  the  14th  in 
Lat.  36°.  they  faw  the  Ifle  oi  St.  Catharijie,  12  Leagues  from  the 
Coaft,  beyond  the  Bay  of  'Toque  j  this  was  inhabited  by  favage 
Indians  ;  there  they  faw  five  Iflands  ;  the  20th  they  faw  the  Ifle 
Cenifas,  in  about  Lat  30°.  ten  Leagues  from  the  Coafl:,  which  was 
about  eleven  Leagues  long,  and  fix  broad,  being  naked  of  Trees 
and  uninhabited.  The  Ifland  Guadaloupe  is  in  Lat.  29°.  9'.  the 
Ifland  Curras,  feventeen  Leagues  from  the  Coafl:,  is  thirty  fix 
Leagues  in  Compafs^  the  26th  they  got  to  Cape  St.  Lucas,  the 
Southern  Cape  of  California  in  Lat.  22°.  25'.  Port  Montery  is  in 
Lat.  37°.  it  is  a  good  Harbour  and  Water  enough,  and  well  tim- 
ber'd.  Plenty  of  Game  on  the  Mountains,  Bears,  Deer,  &c.  and 
Ducks  in  the  Lakes  ;  fix  Leagues  N.  W.  of  it  is  a  rapid  River, 
feven  Fathom  deep,  and  another  large  River  in  Lat.  41°.  which 
has  fo  ftrong  a  Current  that  it  is  difiicult  to  fail  in  againfl:  it. 
The  Port  de  los  Reys  is  a  good  one,  and  alfo  that  of  Don  Gafper 
in  Lat.  38'\     Cape  Mendocino  is  in  Lat.  41°.  20'.  and  Cape  Blajico 

in 


(  143  ) 

In  Lat,  43°.     The  Gulf  of  California  is  feven  Leagues  wide  in 
Lat  29°.     So  far  Gemelli  gives  his  Obfervations  upon  that  Voyage. 

Cajiro  fent  out  Alvarez  de  Mandana,  with  Pedro  Sarmiento^ 
Lieutenant,  and  Fedro  de  Orctga,  Vice-Admiral,  from  Lima,  in 
1568.  At  800  Leagues  Diftance  Weft,  in  1 1°,  S.  Lat,  they  found 
feveral  Iflands  inhabited  by  People  of  a  yellowifh  Complexion,  na- 
ked, armed  with  Bows  and  Arrows,  and  Darts ;  they  faw  there 
Hogs,  little  Dogs,  and  Fowl,  and  alfo  Cloves,  Ginger,  and  Cin- 
namon, the  laft  not  of  the  beft  Kind,  and  they  had  fome  Shew  of 
Gold.  The  firft  Ifland  they  called  S,t.  Ifabella  ;  here  they  built  a 
Pinnace,  with  which  and  their  Boat,  between  9  and  1 1;°.  S.  Lat. 
they  found  out  1 1  great  Iflands,  one  with  another  80  Leagues 
round;  the  greateft  they  called  Guadalcanal;  they  failed  150 
Leagues  along  it  before  they  knew  that  it  was  an  Ifland,  to  1 8". 
S.  Lat.  and  then  did  not  fee  the  End  of  it  ;  there  they  got 
Gold,  of  which  they  carried  away  to  the  Value  of  40000  Pezo's. 
The  Natives  had  great  Canoes,  which  carried  100  Men.  They 
were  four  Months  among  thefe  Iflands,  and  finding  the  Trade- wind 
always  prevail,  they  failed  North  of  the  Line  to  make  Neiv-Spain, 
and  after  being  in  many  Storms,  having  loft  all  their  Mails,  after  9 
Months  got  fafe  to  Land,  but  moft  of  them  died  for  want  of  Food. 
The  other  Ship  fxred  better,  and  got  fafe  with  raofl  of  their  Men  to 
New  Spain  ;  thefe  they  called  Solomon's  JJles. 

Sir  Francis  Drake  going  foon  after  into  thofe  Seas,  they  ftifled 
the  Difcovery,  to  prevent  others  from  trading  with  them.  This 
Account  was  taken  from  Lopezvaz,  a  Portuguefe^  by  Captain  Wi- 
thrington,  in  the  River  of  Plate. 

Mandana  failed  upon  a  further  Difcovery  in  1595,  and  in  lo^. 
S.  Lat.  1 000  Leagues  from  Pfrz/,  6^0  from  New- Spain,  and  1000 
from  New-Guinea,  came  to  an  Ifland  he  called  Magdalene,  10 
Leagues  round,  and  near  it  three  other  Iflands,  St.  Peter's,  Domi- 
nica, 1 5  Leagues  in  Circuit,  and  St.  Chrijlina,  9  Leagues ;  he  cal- 
led them  Las  Marquijas.  The  Natives  were  of  a  dark  Colour. 
He  found  a  fine  Harbour  in  the  Wefl:  Side  of  St.  Chrijlina,  in  Lat. 
9^  30'.  He  left  it  the  5th  of  Aiiguji.  The  15th,  after  failing 
400  Leagues,  he  difcovered  four  little  low  Iflands,  in  10''.  40'.  S. 
Lat.  1535  Leagues  from  Pfr/;,  aWtdi  Solitary  IJles.  The  7th  of 
September  he  difcovered  a  burning  Ifland,    well  inhabited,    where 

he 


(  144  ) 


he  enter'd  a  Harbour,  and  removed  to  a  better  on  the  2ift  ;  here 
he  ftaid  fome  Time,  and  refolved  to  fettle. 

'  There  being  but  a  Part  of  the  Account  of  this  Voyage  pre- 
ferved  it  breaks  off  here  abruptly,  and  then  fays,  after  he  left  this 
Ifland  he  crolfed  the  Line,  and  found  an  Ifland  in  6'^.  N.  Lat.  30 
Leagues  in  Circuit.  Monday^  the  iirfl  of  'January^  he  was  in  14^. 
N.  Lat.  and  on  the  3d  got  to  Guam. 

Simon  Henia?idez^  a  Lijbon  Pilot,  told  Hackluit  in  1604,  that 
he  being  in  Lima  in  1600,  four  Ships  went  from  thence  in  Febru- 
ary that  Year,  defigned  for  the  Philippines  ;  the  General  was  a 
Mejlizo  ;  they  were  drove  by  a  Storm  South  of  the  Line,  and  fell 
in  with  feveral  rich  Countries  and  Illands  near  the  Ifles  of  Solo- 
mon. One  Place  they  called  Monte  de  Plata,  from  the  Abundance 
of  Silver  hkely  to  be  found  there ;  for  they  faid  they  found  two 
Crowns  worth  in  two  Handfuls  of  Duft,  and  they  gave  them  an 
equal  Quantity  of  Silver  for  Iron.  It  was  two  Months  failing  from 
Peru  ;  they  returned  from  thence  to  Pe?'u  in  jduguji.  A  Captain  of 
Quality  was  then  fuing  for  Leave  to  fettle  there. 

Ferdinando  Giros,  or  De  ^ir,  under  De  Torres,  was  fent  from 
Peru  on  a  Difcovery  in  the  South-Sea,  and  made  fome  that  were 
very  confiderabie  ;  but  the  Englijh  at  that  time  fending  feveral  Ships 
through  the  Magellanick  Streights  into  thofe  Seas,  the  Accounts 
which  were  publiflied  were  taken  up  by  Order  of  the  King  of 
Spain,  and  nothing  was  divulged  but  the  Copies  of  two  Memorials 
given  to  the  King  in  1610,  which  Purchas  got  by  Accident,  and 
iias  publifhed  in  his  CoUedions,  one  in  Englip,  and  the  other  in 
Spanijfj,  from  the  Original,  an  Abllracft  of  which  I  fhall  give 
here. 

In  his  eighth  Petition  he  fets  fortli,  that  in  thofe  great  Iflands 
and  Countries  he  difcovered,  the  Inhabitants  were  civilized,  and 
dwelt  in  wooden  Houfes ;  they  made  ufe  of  earthen  Veffels  and 
wooden  Spoons ;  they  had  Flutes  and  Drums  for  Mufick  ;  their 
Gardens  were  regularly  divided,  and  fenced  with  Poles.  They  ufed 
Mother  of  Pearl  Shells  for  different  Purpofes,  as  well  for  Ufe  as  for 
Ornament ;  they  were  clothed,  and  had  Boots ;  they  made  Capons 
and  Hogs,  their  Bread  was  made  of  Roots.  The  had  fix  Kinds  of 
Plane-trees,  four  Kinds  of  Almonds,  a  Fruit  they  called  Obi,  like 
to  Melacotoons  ;  they  had  Nuts,  Oranges,  Lemons,  Sugar-canes, 
Palm-trees,    and  Cocoas,  as  alfo  Pears,  Melons  and  Beans.     They 

had 


(  145  ) 

liad  Variety  of  Fowls  and  Goats,  and  the  Natives  faid  they  had 
Cows  and  Oxen,  with  great  Variety  of  Fiili.  He  faw  in  thofe 
Countries  Silver  and  Pearl ;  one  of  their  Captains  faw  Gold  ;  he 
faw  Nutmegs,  Mace,  Ginger,  Pepper,  and  Cinnamon,  and  Ma- 
terials for  Silk,  and  alfo  Ebony. 

The  Country  was  hilly,  full  of  Brooks  and  Rivers ;  the  Bay 
of  St.  Philip  and  James  was  20  Leagues  in  Extent,  without  any 
Bar,  where  they  had  fine  Anchorage.  The  Harbour  of  Ve)-a  Cruz 
could  contain  a  thoufand  Ships ;  it  was  at  the  Mouth  of  two  large 
deep  Rivers  of  eafy  Entrance,  where  were  Woods  of  line  Timber, 
full  of  all  Sorts  of  finging  Birds  ;  the  Haven  and  Bay  were  in  the 
Neighbourhood  of  many  £ne  Iflands,  feven  of  which  were  200 
Leagues  in  Extent ;  one  of  thefe,  within  1 2  Leagues  of  the  Har- 
bour, was  50  Leagues  in  Circuit.  They  were  in  1 5°.  40'.  S.  Lat. 
the  Air  fine  and  healthy,  and  the  Serenas  not  dangerous  j  they  took 
PolTeffion  of  it,  and  kept  their  Whitjuntide  there. 

In  another  Memorial  to  the  King  of  Spain,  which  is  preferved 
in  the  original  SpaniJJo,  he  fays,  that  in  the  South  is  concealed  the 
fourth  Part  of  the  Globe,  that  they  difcovered  many  Iflands,  and 
mentions  20  of  the  Names  of  them.  Joined  to  them  are  three  Coun- 
tries called  Aufiralia  de  Spiritu  SanBo,  in  which  is  the  Bay  of  St. 
Philip  and  James,2Ln(i  Harbour  of  Fera  Cruz  abovementioned, where 
they  flaid  with  three  Ships  36  Days.  He  believed  they  were  all 
one  Country,  from  their  high  and  double  Mountains,  and  by  the 
Greatnefs  of  the  River  Jordan,  which  appeared  from  an  Informa- 
tion lodged  in  Mexico,  to  which  he  refers. 

He  fays  further,  that  in  the  Ifle  Taumaco,  which  is  1250  Leagues 
from  Mexico,  they  flaid  ten  Days,  and  a  Lord  of  that  Ifland,  who 
was  called  Tamay,  a  Man  of  Senfe,  Tall,  and  full  bodied,  his  Co- 
lour was  of  Sea- ware,  or  reddifli,  grey-eyed,  with  a  high  Nofe, 
his  Beard  and  Hair  curled,  of  a  grave  Alpeft  ;  he  was  of  great 
Service  to  them  with  his  People,  in  helping  them  to  Water.  He 
came  on  board,  and  converfed  with  Signs.  He  enquired  of  him  if 
there  were  other  Iflands  around  them,  and  if  inhabited  ;  he  named 
above  fixty  of  them,  and  a  great  Country  called  Manicola  ;  they 
lay  from  S.  S.  E.  to  N.  E.  To  defcribe  the  large  Iflands  he  made 
large  Circles,  and  fmaller  for  the  lefler  Iflands ;  and  for  the  great 
Country  he  opened  his  Arms,  and,  pointing  to  the  Sun,  fliuttinghis 
Eyes,  and  laying  "his  Head  upon  his  Hand  fo  often,  made  out  that  it 

U  would 


(    146   ) 

would  be  tea  Weeks  in  failing  around  them,  in  which  were  Peo- 
ple of  all  Colours,  fome  Friends,  fome  Enemies,  and  Canibals, 
which  he  lignilied  by  biting  his  Arm,  The  next  Day  he  faw  many 
of  his  People  in  the  Bay,  v/ho  agreed  in  the  fame  Account,  and 
fiid  they  had  Cows  and  Buffaloes,  Fowl  and  Swine,  which  they 
lignified  by  crowing  and  grunting,  &c.  to  make  them  fenfible  of 
what  tiicy  would  exprefs  to  them  ;  and  upon  lliewing  them  a  Pearl, 
they  faid  they  had  of  them,  and  in  every  Thing  told  the  Truth, 
and  might  be  depended  upon. 

When  they  failed  from  Taumaco  they  took  four  of  the  Natives 
with  them,  three  were  drowned  in  fwimming,  and  the  other  they 
called  Pedro  came  to  Mexico,  and  after  learning  Spanijlj,  upon  allt- 
ing  him  Queflions,  in  different  Companies,  at  different  Times,  he 
never  varied  once  in  his  Account,  or  ever  contradidled  himfelf. 
He  was  a  Native  of  an  Ifland  called  Chicayana,  greater  than  Taii- 
maco,  and  four  Days  Sailing  from  it ;  he  faid  it  was  leveller,  and 
abounded  more  with  Fruit;  the  Natives  were  moft  of  his  Indian 
Colour,  witli  lauk  Hair  ;  yet  fome  were  white,  with  red  Hair  j 
fome  Mullattoes,  with  half  curled  Hair,  and  fom.e  were  woolly 
headed.  In  his  Ifland  were  many  Kinds  of  Oyfters,  with  Pearl  of 
feveral  Sizes  in  fhallow  Water. 

He  faid  further,  that  three  Days  Sailing  from  Taumaco  is  another 
Ifland  called  Gimtopo,  greater  than  the  other  two,  peopled  with 
fome  as  white  as  the  common  Spaniards,  with  red  and  black  Hair. 
He  faid,  that  from  another  Ifland  called  Tiicopia,  at  the  Diffance 
of  5  Days  Sailing,  is  a  great  Country  called  Manicola,  inhabited 
by  many  who  Vv^ere  fair  as  well  as  Mullattoes ;  it  was  a  high  Coun- 
try, full  of  Rivers,  which  could  not  be  paffed  but  in  Canoes  ;  he 
talked  much  of  the  Greatnefs,  Fertility,  and  other  Advantages  of 
that  Ifland ;  that  he  and  other  Indians  went  there  in  a  great  Caiioe 
or  Periagua,  and  he  faw  there  a  good  Harbour  of  a  fl:raiter  En- 
trance than  that  of  Philip  and  James ;  that  it  was  betwixt  four  Ri- 
vers, and  that  they  might  coafl  along  that  Country  moi^e  Days  than 
in  going  from  Acapidco  to  Mexico  without  feeing  the  End  of  it  ; 
there  he  fays  are  many  Pearl  Oyflers. 

In  three  Days  Sailing  with  a  ftiff  Gale  from  'Tatunnco  is  another 
Ifland  called  Fanofano  ;  it  is  low  and  plain,  in  which  were  great 
Rivers,    the   Country  very  fertile  and  populous,    and  the  Natives, 

fome 


(   147  ) 


fome  fair,  and  ibme  Mullattoes.  Near  this  are  the  Iflands  Pilar  and 
Niipon ,  in  all  thefe  are  Pearl  Oyflers. 

He  fliid  that  in  Taiimaco  was  a  grave  Indian  Pilot,  who  had 
been  in  many  more  J  Hands,  and  in  one  great  Ifland  called  Pouro, 
where  the  People  were  warlike ;  he  brought  with  him  from  thence 
fome  Fifli-Gigs  and  Arrows,  which  had  coloured  Points ;  upon 
fliewing  him  a  Piece  of  Plate,  he  laid  the  Points  were  of  that  Co- 
lour. Giros  fays,  that  in  the  Bay  of  Philip  and  JafJtes  were  many 
black  Stones,  very  heavy,  fome  of  which  he  took  to  Mexico,  in 
which,  upon  their  being  elUiyed,  they  found  Silver,  Upon  (htw  - 
ing  Pedro  (ome  of  thefe,  he  laid,  that  in  Tautnaco  there  was  much 
of  that  Sort,  which  they  called  Teraque,  and  alfo  in  Manicola. 
When  he  came  to  be  well  underllood  in  Spanifi,  he  talked  much 
of  the  populoufnefs  of  their  feveral  Iflands,  and  of  the  Variety  of 
Colours  in  them,  and  of  other  great  Countries  South-eaft  and  Weft 
of  them. 

Giros  fays  further,  that  in  the  IJJes  of  Solomon,  difcovered  by  Jl- 
''vares  de  Mandajia  in  his  firft  Voyage,  and  in  Santa  Cruz  in  his  fe- 
cond  Voyage,  many  Pearls  being  found,  and  he  himfelf  feeing  Mo- 
ther of  Pearl  Shells  in  three  of  thefe  Iflands,  added  to  thefe  Pedro 
mentions,  there  are  15  Iflands  in  which  there  are  Pearls  at  no  great 
Depth,  and  there  mufl  be  large  Pearls  lince  there  are  large  Shells 
to  contain  them.  So  much  of  G/rw's  Difcoveries  are  preferved  in 
thefe  two  Memorials. 

Gallego,  failing  from  New-Guinea  towards  Magellati"^  Streights, 
was  by  Weflern  Winds  caft  upon  a  Southern  Country. 

The  next  authentick  Journal  publiflied  of  Difcoveries  made  in 
the  South-Seas,  is  that  oi  Abel'Tafman,  a  Dutchman,  fitted  out  from 
Batavia  the  14th  of  Juguji,  1642.  On  the  5th  of  September  he 
got  into  Maurice  IJland,  in  20°.  S.  Lat.  The  24th  of  OSlober,  in 
Lat.  42°.  25'.  and  Long.  163°.  50'.  he  faw  Van  Dieman's  Land, 
and  failed  S.  by  E.  along  the  Coafl,  to  Lat.  44°.  where  the  Land 
fell  away  Eaft,  and  then  N.  E.  They  anchored  in  a  Bay  in  Lat.  43°. 
I  o'.  on  the  firft  of  December,  and  called  it  Frederick  Henrick's  Bay  ; 
here  they  heard  the  Voices  of  Men,  but  faw  none,  and  heard  Mu- 
iick  like  the  Jew's  Harp  ;  they  law  the  Traces  of  Beafts  and  line 
Trees,  but  little  or  no  Under-wood,  all  Marks  of  a  cultivated  Coun- 
try, and  that  the  People  were  under  Government,  and  in  fome  fort 
civilized.     They  fiiled  tlience  the  5th  of  December,    delic;ned  tor 

U  2  ^       //<- 


(   148  ) 

the  IJles  of  Solomon,  in  Long.  195°.  The  9th,  in  Lat.  42°.  37'.  and 
Long.  176°.  they  had  hoUov/  Waves  out  of  the  South.  The  13th, 
in  Lat.  42°.  lo'.  and  Long.  188°.  28'.  they  difcovered  a  Counti-y 
they  called  New-Zeland ;  they  failed  North-eaftward  along  it  to- 
Lat.  40°.  ^o'.  where  they  anchored  the  1 8th  ;  the  Inhabitants  were 
ftrong,  had  a  rough  Voice,  and  blew  upon  an  Liflrument  founding 
like  a  Moorifh-trumpet  ;  their  Colour  was  a  browniih  yellow,  their 
Hair  black,  and  thick,  tied  upon  the  Tops  of  their  Heads  ;  they 
had  Mats,  and  Cotton  Cloaths  ;  their  upper  Parts  were  naked,  the 
Land  appeared  to  be  very  good.  Upon  fending  their  Shallop  afhore, 
fome  of  their  Men  were  killed  by  the  Natives,  fo  they  called  the 
Place  Murderers  Bay.  They  endeavoured  to  fail  Eaft  from  that 
Bay,  but  had  Land  all  around  them,  the  Flood  came  from  the 
South-eaft.  The  26th  they  went  away  North,  fomewhat  Wefterly, 
to  clear  the  Coafl.  January  the  4th,  in  Lat.  34".  35'.  they  got 
to  the  N.  W.  Cape,  and  had  hollow  Waves  from  N.  E.  here  they 
faw  the  Ifle  they  called  of  three  Kings,  and  in  it  35  tall,  great  Men, 
who  had  Sticks  and  Clubs.  The  19th,  in  Lat.  22°.  35'.  and  Long. 
204°.  they  faw  an  Ifland,  two  or  three  Miles  round,  they  called 
Peeljireet  I/land,  from  the  Number  of  thefe  Fowls  feen  in  it.  The 
20th  they  fxw  two  Iflands,  in  Lat.  21°.  10'.  and  Long.  205°. 
29'.  one  they  called  Amjlerdam  Ifland,  and  the  other  Middlebiirgh  ; 
on  the  firfl  they  got  Hogs,  Fowl  and  Fruit,  and  met  with  peace- 
able and  friendly  Inhabitants ;  the  Ebb  there  ran  N.  E.  and  Flood 
S.  W.  a  South-weft  Moon  made  high  Water,  and  it  flowed  8  Foot. 
The  25th,  in  Lat.  20°.  15'.  and  Long.  206°.  19'.  after  feeing  feve- 
ral  fmall  Iflands,  they  came  to  an  Ifle  they  caUed  Rotterdam  Ifle, 
where  they  alfo  found  peaceable  Inhabitants ;  the  Gardens  were  all 
laid  out,  divided  and  planted  with  Fruit-trees,  and  all  other  Lands 
improved. 

In  failing  from  thence  they  faw  many  more  Iflands  ;  the  1 6th 
of  February  they  were  in  Lat.  17°.  29'.  among  eighteen  or  twen- 
ty Iflands,  Shoals  and  Rocks  ;,  they  called  them  Prince  William's 
Ifles,  and  Heemjkirk's  Shoals.  From  the  %ih.  oi February  m  "L^t. 
15°.  29'.  to  March  2d,  in  Lat.  9°.  11'.  and  Long.  192°.  46'.  they 
had  rainy  thick  Weather,  and  variable  Winds,  undoubted  Signs 
of  being  near  Land  ;  they  had  variable  Winds  and  Weather  until 
the  2  2d,  when  they  had  again  fine  Weather  ;  and  being  then  in 
South  Lat.  5°.  2'.  Long.  178°.  32'.  they  faw  many  Iflands  called 
2  Onthotig 


(  149  ) 


Onthong  Java,  ninety  Miles  ivorri  New  Guinea  ;  May  12th,  after 
feeing  and  flopping  at  many  Iflands,  along  and  near  the  Coaft  of 
New  Guinea,  they  arrived  at  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  in  South 
Lat,  0°.  26/  and  Long.  147°,  z,^'.  and  from  thence  they  returned 
to  Batavia,  Jufje  15th,  in  Lat,  6°.  12'.  and  Long.  127°.  18'.  after 
a  ten  Months  Voyage. 

There  are  feveral  other  Illands  laid  down  in  the  Sea  Charts, 
publiflied  as  well  by  the  French  as  EngliJJ},  both  to  the  Northward 
and  Southward  of  the  Line,  which  are  faid  to  be  taken  from  the 
Difcoveries  made  by  the  Spaniards  traverfing  thofe  Seas,  when 
drove  by  Storms  upon  them  ;  but  as  they  never  publiflied  their 
Voyages  or  Journals,  I  cannot  tell  whether  they  are  fufficiently 
vouched,  and  therefore  won't  mention  them,  nor  thofe  Iflands 
Northweft  of  California,  mentioned  by  Cox  in  his  Carolana, 
which  he  fays  he  took  from  a  Manufcript  Journal  of  a  Privateer 
in  thofe  Seas,  not  having  feen  that  Journal,  and  therefore  doubt 
the  Truth  of  it,  he  making  thefe  Iflands  to  be  civilized,  and  a- 
bounding  in  Gold.  I  fliall  only  mention  one  Difcovery  more, 
made  by  Captain  Davis  in  his  Return  from  the  South  Sea,  in  Lat, 
27°.  30'.  as  he  was  ftretching  Southward  to  get  into  the  variable 
W'inds  Way,  who  faw  Land  in  South  Lat.  27".  about  500  Leagues 
from  Copiapo  in  Chili,  there  was  a  fmall  fandy  Ifland  juft  by  him, 
and  to  the  Weftward  and  Northweftward  he  faw  a  large  Tradt  of 
Land  as  far  as  he  could  fee  ;  but  being  flraitned  in  Time,  and  ha- 
ving no  fpare  Provifions  to  double  Cape  Horn,  and  make  fo  long 
a  Voyage,  he  did  not  flop  to  obferve  the  Country. 

Since  that  Time  no  Attempts  have  been  made  that  are  publiflied, 
or  have  come  to  my  Hands,  except  that  lately  publiflied  in  Hol- 
land, made  by  three  Dutch  Ships  in  1721,  fitted  out  by  their 
Wejl  India  Company,  to  find  out  that  Southern  Country  in  the 
South  Sea  -,  an  Abflradt  of  fo  much  as  is  material  I  fliall  here  give, 
altho'  the  Longitudes  they  mention  can't  be  depended  upon,  be- 
ing either  incorredly  printed,  or  wrong  laid  down  on  Purpofe  by 
the  Author,  or  Publiflier,  fince  they  don't  correfpond  with  each 
other,  nor  with  any  other  Longitude  taken  from  any  other  ufual 
firft  Meridian. 

Thefe  Ships  failed  fi-om  Holland  the  21ft  of  Augujl  1721  N.  S. 
and  after  flopping  at  the  Canaries,  and  at  St.  Sebajlian  in  Brazil, 
they  fail'd  by  Le  Maire"%  Streight  round  Cape  Horn,  and  arrived 

at 


•  C  150  ) 

wt  Mocha  Ille  in  Chili  the  \  oth  of  March  following  ;  they  made 
no  Stay  there,  but  fail'd  to  Ferdinando'?,  Ifland  in  South  Lat.  34°. 
and  after  refrelliing  there,  failed  from  thence  the  latter  End  of 
March  N.  W.  and  got  into  South  Lat.  28°.  and  Long.  251°.  as 
the  Author  has  made  it ;  but  from  what  firft  Meridian  he  take^ 
liis  Account  I  can't  find  out  ;  there  they  exped:ed  to  fee  the  Land 
Davis  faw,  but  did  not,  tho'  fome  of  the  Crew  apprehended 
they  faw  fome  Land;  (what  he  faw  was  in  Lat.  27°,)  but  they 
had  Symptoms  of  being  near  Land,  for  they  fiw  great  Numbers 
of  Fowl,  and  among  them  many  Teal;  and  had  variable  Winds, 
which  are  all  Signs  of  Land  in  that  Latitude.  They  failed  in  that 
Parallel  1 2  Degrees  Weft,  and  were  in  all  that  Courfe  attended 
by  many  Land  as  well  as  Sea-fowl,  until  the  6th  of  April,  being 
Eajier-Day,  when  they  faw  an  Lland  they  called  Eo-fter  IJle ; 
which  was  fixteen  Leagues  in  Circuit,  in  South  Lat.  28°.  30'.  it 
.  was  full  of  Lihabitants  of  a  brown  Colour,  tho'  fome  among  them 
were  black,  white,  and  red.  The  Lands  were  all  well  cultivated, 
regularly  divided  and  bounded,  and  laid  out  in  Plots ;  they  had 
Abundance  of  Fowl  and  Fruit,  particularly  Cocoas,  and  Indian 
Figs.  The  Inhabitants  were  peaceable,  and  had  no  hoflile  Wea- 
pons ;  they  came  on  board  them  in  Canoes,  and  invited  them 
afliore ;  they  obferved  they  had  Idols  fet  up  along  the  Coaft,  be- 
fore whom  they  proflrated  themfelves  next  Morning  ;  when  they 
landed,  they  crowded  about  them,  and  being  afraid  of  their  Num- 
bers, they  were  obliged  to  fire  among  them  to  make  them  to 
keep  their  Diflance,  by  which  one  who  had  invited  them  to  go 
afliore  happened  to  be  killed.  They  intended  to  have  gone  next 
Day  afliore,  and  made  fome  farther  Difcovery  of  the  inward  Part 
of  the  Illand  ;  but  being  in  a  Place  open  to  the  Sea,  and  having 
no  good  Anchorage,  they  were  forced  by  high  Winds  to  weigh 
Anchor,  and  were  drove  by  the  Wind  and  Current  to  Leeward  of 
the  Illand,  and  tho'  they  beat  fome  time  to  Windward,  they 
could  not  regain  the  Ifland. 

Leaving  that  Ifland  they  quitted  the  Parallel,  and  in  a  little 
Time  got  into  Lat.  1 5°.  which  they  called  the  bad  Sea  ofSchouteny 
in  which  Parallel  he  failed  many  Days  without  feeing  Land,  yet 
they  apprehended  they  were  in  the  right  Trad:  to  find  the  South- 
ern Land;  but  they  failed  300  Leagues,  and  fo  on  to  Boo  Leagues, 
v/ithout  Sight  of  Land  ;    about  the   Middle  of  May  they  faw  an 

Ifland 


(  iSi  ) 

Ifland  in  Lat.  15".  45'.  and  Long.  280°.  which  they  thought  might 
be  Schoufen's  IJle  of  Dogs,  but  his  being  in  Lat.  1 5°.  1 2'.  they 
called  it  Carkjkoff;  the  Wind  changed  to  S.  W.  and  drove  them 
next  Night  to  four  Iflands  1 2  Leagues  Weft  of  CarkJJio^,  which 
they  called  Pernicious  IJle,  two  Brothers,  and  Si-fter  ;  they  were  low 
IQands,  full  of  Trees,  Cocoas,  &c.  where  were  many  Oyfters, 
Mufcles,  and  Mother  of  Pearl  Shells.  Falling  in  with  thefe  Ifles 
in  the  Night,  they  loft  their  fmalleft  Ship,  which  kept  a-head  ; 
they  were  five  Days  getting  clear  of  thefe  Iflands,  and  faving  their 
Men  ;  four  or  five  of  them  who  had  mutinied,  got  on  Shore  there 
and  quit  them  ;  nor  would  they  again  come  on  board,  tho'  they 
promifed   to  pardon    tliem. 

•  Thefe  Iflands  were  fully  inhabited  ;  the  Natives  were  a  large 
ftrong  People  ;  the  Morning  after  they  left  thefe  Iflands,  eight 
Leagues  farther  Weft,  they  difcovered  an  Ifland  four  Leagues  in 
Circumference,  full  of  Trees,  which  they  called  Aurora  or  Morn- 
ing IJle,  and  in  the  Evening  law  another  Ifland  about  1 2  Leagues 
in  Circuit,  which  was  flat,  and  look'd  very  green  with  Trees, 
which  they  called  Fe/^t^rj,  or  E-vening  Ifte  ;  going  Weftward  ftill, 
between  Lat.  15°.  and  16°.  they  at  once  difcovered  another  Coun- 
try, on  all  Sides  full  of  Smokes,  and  well  inhabited  ;  and  were 
engaged  in  a  Number  of  Iflands ;  here  were  fix  very  pleafant, 
about  30  Leagues  in  Extent  ;  they  are  25  Leagues  from  Pernici- 
cus  IJle ;  they  called  them  the  Labyrinth,  being  inclofed  and  en- 
gaged fo  among  them,  that  with  their  winding  and  turning  they 
could  fcarce  get  through  them  ;  as  they  found  no  good  Anchorage, 
and  no  Inhabitants  came  off"  to  them,  they  failed  on  Weft,  and  in 
fome  Days  law  an  Ifland  which  appeared  high  and  fine  ;  they 
found  no  Anchorage,  but  fent  their  Sloop  on  Shore  with  twenty  five 
Men  ;  Crowds  met  them  armed  with  Lances  upon  the  Shore,  lb 
that  they  were  obliged  to  fire  upon  them,  and  then  landed  to  ga- 
ther Herbs  for  their  fick  Men,  and  gave  fome  Trifles  to  the  Na- 
tives who  alTifted  in  gathering  them  ;  but  attempting  to  do  the 
fame  next  Day,  and  going  farther  into  the  Ifland  to  view  it,  the 
Natives,  with  a  Chief  at  their  Head,  decoy'd  them  on,  and  then 
in  great  Numbers  fell  upon  them  with  Stones,  wounded  many  of 
them,  who  being  ill  of  the  Scurvy  afterwards  died  on  bo;rd,  and 
drove  them  to  their  Boats  ;  they  called  this  the  IJle  of  Refrejh- 
tnent,  becaufe  of  the  Benefits  they  found  from  the  wholefome 
2  Herbs 


(  15^  ) 


Herbs  they  found  there  ;  it  is  in  Lat.  i6°.  and  Long.  285".  a- 
bout  1 2  Leagues  in  Circuit ;  it  was  very  fertile,  with  many  fine 
Trees  -,  the  Natives  were  well  featur'd,  had  long  black  Hair, 
oii'd  and  fhining  ;  they  were  very  adlive,  the  Men  half  clad  with 
a  Kind  of  Net,  and  the  Women  all  cloathed  with  a  Stuff  as  foft 
as  Silk,   with  Ornaments  of  Mother  of  Pearl. 

They  quitted  that  Parallel  of  Latitude,  and  failed  N.  W.  giving 
up  the  Difcovery  to  get  to  New  Britain  and  the  Eaji  Indies^  as 
foon  as  they  could,  that  they  might  not  lofe  the  eaflerly  Mon- 
foon,  and  in  three  Days  were  in  Lat.  12°.  and  Long.  290°.  they 
faw  there  many  Illands  at  once,  which  appeared  fine  and  agree- 
able, with  green  Trees  ;  the  Inhabitants  met  them  v/ith  Fifh, 
and  many  excellent  Fruits,  Cocoas,  Indian  Figs,  Qfc.  many  Thou- 
fands  came  to  the  Shore,  with  Bows  and  Arrows  ;  a  Man  of  Di- 
ftin6lion  came  on  board,  with  a  fair  young  Woman  in  a  Boat, 
furrounded  with  many  more  ;  all  the  Inhabitants  were  white, 
but  burnt  with  the  Sun  ;  they  were  peaceable  and  humane,  were 
well  cloathed,  and  not  painted,  like  the  others  they  had  feen  ; 
they  wore  Silk  Garments,  and  had  a  kind  of  Hats  upon  their 
Heads,  and  Bracelets  of  fine  Flowers  about  their  Necks  and  Arms. 
The  Illands  were  hilly,  and  were  from  10  to  20  Miles  in  Circuit. 
They  called  thefe  Bowman'^  IJles ;  the  Lands  were  cultivated  and 
divided,  and  the  People  the  mofl  civilized,  and  the  honeflefl:  they 
had  feen  in  the  South-Sea.  There  they  were  received  like  Angels, 
they  had  good  Anchorage,  and  were  all  well  refreflied,  and  might 
have  had  all  their  fick  Men  cured,  but  the  Commanders  being 
afraid  of  lofing  the  Monfoon,  tho'  they  were  miftaken  by  two 
Months ;  yet  their  Hafle  made  them  neglect  to  fearch  and  know 
thefe  Illands  more  accurately,  and  many  more  they  paHed  by  in 
their  PalTage  from  thence.  They  failed  on  N.  W.  and  next  Day 
faw  two  Illands,  which  they  took  to  be  Cocos  and  Traylors  Ifles, 
difcovered  by  Schouten.  Cocos  was  high,  and  about  8  Leagues  in  Cir- 
cuit ;  the  other  was  low  and  bare,  in  about  11°.  S.  Lat.  Soon  after 
they  faw  two  very  large  Illands,  they  call'd  one  Teerhoven,  and' 
the  other  Groninghen  ;  the  laft  was  fo  large,  they  imagined  it  might 
have  been  Part  of  the  Continent;  they  look'd  fine,  and  they  coaft- 
ed  them  a  Day  without  feeing  the  End  of  them,  fo  that  they  ap- 
prehended it  to  be  a  Part  of  Terra  Aiiftralis.  They  law  other 
neighbouring  Illes  150  Miles  in  Circuit ;    feme  were  for  landing, 

but 


(153) 

but  the  Hafte  they  were  in  to  gain  the  Monfoon,  prevented  them 
from  landing,  and  they  thought  they  would  have  been  foon  at  Neiv 
Britain,  but  they  were  miftaken,  for  they  had  many  Days  failing 
before  they  arrived  at  it ;  at  lafl  they  faw  New  Britain  in  S.  Lat.  5", 
it  was  full  of  Jnhabitants,  and  look'd  fine,  it  was  mountainy,  the 
Natives  were  of  a  yellow  Colour;  after  a  Storm  they  failed  N.  W. 
and  faw  fo  many  Iflands  they  could  not  name  nor  number  them  ; 
at  laft,  in  S.  Lat.  2°.  they  came  to  Moa  and  ^rimoa,  fo  called  by 
Schouten  ;  they  failed  from  thence  among  numberlefs  Iflands,  they 
called  them  1000  Ifles,  the  Natives,  were  black,  and  were  very 
bad  People  ;  they  failed  along  Neiv  Guinea  400  Leagues,  which 
was  very  high  Land,  but  fertile  ;  at  laft,  through  innumerable 
Iflands  they  arrived  at  Boere  in  South  Lat.  2°.  a  Dutch  Ifland, 
about  40  or  50  Leagues  in  Circumference,  \n  September  1722. 

Thefe  being  all  the  Journals  or  Extracts  I  have  met  with  that 
I  can  depend  upon,  relating  to  the  Difcoveries  made  in  the  Southern 
and  Weftern  Ocean  of  America  ;  I  fliall  from  thcfe,  endeavour  to 
fhew  in  one  View,  what  Regions  or  Iflands  have  already  been  dif- 
covered  by  Europeans,  and  what  Space  in  thofe  Seas  remain  ftill 
undifcovered  in  that  immenfe  Tra6t,  which  comprehends  at  leaft 
one  third  Part  of  the  Globe  ;  in  which  we  have  Reafon  to  believe, 
that  many  noble,  rich,  and  populous  Countries  and  Iflands,  are 
yet  undifcovered  to  us  in  Europe,  which  might  afford  an  extenfive 
Trade  to  Britain,  and  open  a  new  Market  for  our  Manufadlures, 
and  vaflly  enlarge  our  Commerce  and  carrying  Trade,  and  we 
might  affifl  in  civilizing  numberlefs  Nations,  and  afford  them  ma- 
ny Neceffaries  and  Conveniencies,  as  well  for  Food  as  Cloathing, 
which  they  are  now  entirely  unacquainted  with,  and  at  the  fame 
time  improve  Britain  both  in  Wealth  and  in  the  Knowledge  of 
Nations  we  are  at  prefent  entirely  Strangers  to. 

In  making  thefe  Obfervations  I  fhall  begin  with  the  more  Nor- 
therly Latitudes,  and  proceed  Southerly  to  the  Southern  Polar 
Circle, 

From  thefe  Journals  or  Extrads,  I  don't  find  that  any  Countries 
have  been  difcovered  by  Europeans,  except  thofe  feen  by  Gama 
in  about  N.  Lat.  45°.  to  the  Eaflward  of  Japan,  in  all  that  great 
Tradl  betwixt  Japan  and  California,  from  the  Lat.  of  38".  to  the 
Polar  Circle,  unlefs  thofe  Iflands  mentioned  by  Cox  in  his  Caro- 
lana,  N.  W.  from  Cape  Blanco  in  Californiay  be  a  real  Difcoveiy, ' 

X  in 


(  154  ) 


in  cafe  the  Manufcript  Journal  from  which  he  took  it  was  genuine  ; 
the  Spaniards  never  exceeding  that  Latitude  in  faihng  from  Ma- 
nila to  Acapiilco,  unlefs  Storms  fhould  force  them  out  of  their 
Courfe  ;  and  yet  there  is  the  greateft  Prefumption  to  believe,  in  fo 
.great  a  Tradl,  at  leaft  i  coo  Leagues  from  the  Lands  of  Jedfo  to 
America,  and  from  Lat.  38°.  to  65°.  540  Leagues,  that  there  are 
great  and  populous  Countries  and  Iflands  not  yet  difcovered  j  as 
alfo  all  the  N.  W.  of  America  from  Cape  Blaiico  in  Lat.  43°.  to 
the  Polar  Circle  ;  and  it  feems  to  be  confirmed  from  the  Accounts 
given  by  De  Gualle  and  Gemelli  in  their  Journals,  the  firft  coming 
within  200  Leagues  of  California  had  no  hollow  Sea,  and  fiiw 
many  Fifli  which  are  generally  feen  near  Iflands  or  Sea  Coafts  ; 
and  alfo  from  the  Ducks,  fmall  Birds  and  Doves  feen  by  Gemelli, 
as  well  as  the  Weeds,  Trees  and  Fifh,  he  faw  fome  hundred 
Leagues  from  California,  which  were  all  Symptoms  of  their  having 
been  near  Land. 

From  Lat.  35°.  to  38°.  I  apprehend  there  are  no  Iflands,  from 
200  Leagues  Eafl  of  "Japan  to  California  ;  for  that  being  the  ge- 
neral Courfe  from  Manila  to  America,  the  SpaiiiJJj  Ships,  had 
there  been  any,  had  difcovered  them  in  their  PafTage. 

From  Lat.  29°.  to  35°.  I  apprehend  there  may  be  feveral  Iflands. 
De  Gualle  faw  many  Iflands  Eaflward  of  Japan,  in  Lat.  32°,  and 
33°.  and  failing  farther  Eafl,  he  faw  many  populous  and  rich  Iflands, 
fome  with  Volcanos,  which  abounded  with  Gold,  Cotton,  and 
Fifh  ;  Gemelli  mentions  Rocks  feen  in  Lat.  30°.  and  an  Ifland  faid 
to  be  rich  in  Gold,  and  alfo  another  in  Lat.  3  2°.  called  Rica  de 
Plata  ;  which,  from  their  Names,  and  abounding  in  Gold,  may 
be  fuppofed  to  be  well  inhabited  ;  he  fpeaks  alfo  of  another  more 
eaflerly,  called  Donna  Maria  Laxara,  in  Lat.  31°. 

Since  few  or  no  Ships  have  traverfed  that  Ocean  from  Mexico 
and  California,  to  the  Philippines  and  China,  betwixt  the  Latitude 
of  Guam  in  13°.  20'.  and  35".  a  Tradl  of  above  400  Leagues  in 
Extent  from  North  to  South,  except  fome  few  who  have  been 
forced  out  of  their  Way  by  Storms  j  as  the  St.  Jofeph,  upon  an 
Ifland  they  called  St.  Sebajiian  in  Lat.  18°.  20'.  and  the  Fleet  fent 
by  Mendofa  from  Natividad,  which  difcovered  St.  Thomas,  and 
Nubleda  or  the  Cloudy  Ifland,  in  Lat.  1 7°.  and  Roca  Partida,  I 
may  reafonably  fuppofe,  in  fo  large  a  Trad,  that  there  are  many 
more  Iflands  to  be  difcovered,  probably   in  thof^  Latitudes,  very 

rich 


(  155  ) 

rich,  and  as  well  Inhabited  as  the  Marian  Iflands,  and  the  others 
difcovered  Eaft  of  Japan.  Spilbergen  difcovered  feme  Wands  in 
Lat.  18".  19°.  and  20°.  within  100  Leagues  of  the  American 
Coaft  ;  and  the  Duke  and  Dutchefs  of  Brijhl  had  Symptoms  of 
Land  from  the  Fifh  and  Fowl  they  faw,  and  the  Rain  they  had 
in  the  fame  Latitude  ;  and  Captain  Sljehock  faw  an  Ifland  S.  W. 
from  Cape  St.  Lucas  in  California  in  Lat.  22°.  but  mod  of  thefe 
Ships  falling  into  the  Parallel  of  Lat.  13°.  as  foon  as  they  could, 
after  leaving  the  American  Coaft,  can  give  us  no  farther  Account 
of  what  may  be  found  in  thofe  Latitudes  at  any  Diflance  from  the 
American  Coaft. 

For  the  fame  Reafon,  very  little  has  been  difcovered  betwixt 
the  Line  and  N.  Lat.  13°.  Noort  failed  Weft  from  America  in 
N.  Lat.  5°.  but  foon  got  into  the  Lat.  of  13".  and  therefore  could 
make  no  Difcovery,  but  near  the  American  Coaft.  Lopez  failed 
from  Natividad  in  N.  Lat.  1 9°.  and  fteered  thence  S.  W.  to  Lat. 
9^.  in  that  Height  looking  for  the  Iflands  de  los  Reys,  after  failing 
50  Days  Weft,  he  faw  an  Ifland  of  Fifliermen,  and  many  unin- 
habited Iflands,  and  then  changed  his  Courfe  to  Guam. 

The  Fleet  fent  by  Mendofa,  found  the  Ifles  de  los  Reys,  and  fe- 
veral  other  Iflands  in  Lat.  lo  ;  and  Saavedra  found  les  Jar  dines 
in  the  fame  Latitude  j  but  all  the  Remainder  of  that  Trad  remains 
undifcovered. 

From  the  Line  to  S.  Lat.  9°.  nothing  as  yet  has  been  difcovered, 
except  an  Ifland  by  Magellan  in  S.  Lat.  5°.  near  the  Ladrone 
Iflands,  as  he  crofl"ed  the  Line  to  get  to  a  Northern  Latitude,  and 
no  other  Ships  came  within  9  Degrees  of  the  Line,  until  they 
were  near  the  Coad  of  New  Britain,  except  the  Ship  commanded 
by  the  Mejiizo  mentioned  by  Hackluit,  who  found  out  feveral  rich 
Iflands,  one  of  which  lie  called  Monte  de  Plata,  near  the  Iflands 
of  Solomon,  fo  that  all  under  and  near  the  Line  is  yet  undifcover- 
ed except  the  Gallopagos  Iflands  under  the  Line,  near  the  Ameri- 
can Coaft,  which  are  uninhabited. 

That  Tracft  in  the  Southern  Ocean  from  9°.  to  1 5°.  S.  Lat.  is- 
filled  with  great,  rich,  and  populous  Iflands,  and  large  Countries, 
The  Ifles  oi  Solomon  found  by  Mandana,  800  Leagues  from  Re- 
ru,  in  thofe  Latitudes,  in  which  were  1 1  great  Iflands,  one  with 
another,  80  Leagues  in  Circuit ;  Guadalcanal,  one  of  them,  being 
above  150  Leagues  in  Length,    in  which  they  found  Gold  and 

X  2  Spice, 


(  156  ) 

Spice,  together  with  thofe  difcovered  by  Giros,  extending  to  15 
Degrees  Weftward  of  Solomo7i's  Ifles,  twenty  of  which  he  gives 
Names  to,  feven  of  which  extended  200  Leagues,  all  abounding 
in  Pearl,  and  exceeding  fruitful,  one  of  them  near  Santa  Cruz  be- 
ing 50  Leagues  in  Circumference  ;  to  which  is  joined  a  large 
Country  called  Aiijiralia  de  Spiritu  Satito,  having  large  and  capaci- 
ous Harbours  and  Rivers,  being  exceeding  populous  and  civilized, 
abounding  in  Spice,  Gold,  Silver  and  Pearls. 

Tajman^  in  the  Weftern  Part  of  that  Ocean,  and  near  the  New 
Guinea  Coaft,  found  many  Iflands  from  Lat.  15°,  to  22°.  35'.  but 
the  Eaflern  Part  of  that  Parallel  has  never  yet  been  difcovered. 

From  the  Lat.  of  22°.  35'.  to  the  Lat.  of  34".  35'.  nothing  has 
been  difcovered  but  the  liland  oiEafter,  in  Lat.  28".  30'.  by  the 
three  Dutch  VefTels  in  172 1,  at  no  great  Diftancefrom  America  j 
nor  is  there  any  Thing  difcovered  from  that  to  the  Southern  Polar 
Circle,  except  fo  much  of  New  Zealand  as  Tafman  failed  along 
from  Lat,  34°,  35'.  1042°.  10'.  a  Country  very  populous  and  war- 
like ;  fome  Accounts  mention  that  Giros  had  coafted  a  Country 
from  the  Height  of  the  Magellanick  Streights  to  Lat.  17°.  but 
that  is  doubtful,  and  not  fupported  by  his  own  Memorials,  or  any 
other  authentick  Account ;  fo  that  the  greatefl:  Part  of  that  vail 
Traft  in  the  Southern  Temperate  Zone,  is  yet  undifcovered,  tho' 
there  is  the  greatefl  Prefumption  that  there  are,  in  fo  great  a  Tracft, 
very  great,  rich,  and  populous  Countries  and  Iflands,  very  capable 
of  Trade,  and  of  being  civilized  and  improved. 

From  the  Numbers  of  People  in  New  Zealand  difcovered  by 
tafman,  and  in  the  Iflands  difcovered  by  Schouten,  and  the  three 
Dutch  VefTels,  and  the  large  Countries  and  Iflands  difcovered  by 
Giros ;  and  alfo  the  Ifles  of  Solomon  and  thofe  of  de  las  Marqui- 
fas  ;  and  from  the  different  Colours  and  Mixtures  among  them,  as 
black,  Copper-colour'd,  brown,  yellow,  and  white,  it  is  highly 
probable  that  they  are  a  mixed  Breed  from  many  different  Coun- 
tries and  Iflands,  adjacent  to  thofe  difcovered  ;  for  fince  the  Canoes 
and  VefTels  feen  with  them  were  fmall,  except  fome  large  Peria- 
guas  mentioned  by  Giros,  which  held  a  hundred  People,  and  the 
double  Oix\ot{ttx\hy  Schouten,  which  held  23  Perfons;  it  is  pro- 
bable that  thefe  Ifles  and  Countries  are  almofl:  contiguous,  and  that 
a  confiderable  Continent  is  in  the  Temperate  Zone,  South-wefl- 
ward  of  America  3  the  Country  feen  by  Tafman  being  near  500 
1  Miles 


(  157  ) 


Miles  long,  confirms  this  ;  and  the  Numbers  of  warlike  People, 
and  their  Ufe  of  Trumpets,  fliews  that  they  were  civilized,  and  be- 
long'd  to  a  populous  State,  which  encouraged  them  to  refifl  the 
Dutch  when  they  attempted  to  land,  other  wife  their  Fire-arms 
muft  have  ftruck  a  Terror  into  them- 

From  the  variable  Winds  and  Rain  in  Lat.  28°.  and  the  Number 
of  Land  and  Sea  Fowl  which  accompanied  the  three  Dutch  Ships 
for  2  or  300  Leagues,  we  may  conclude  they  were  near  fome 
Sea  Coaft  until  they  came  to  the  Ifle  of  Eafter  ;  and  had  they 
continued  in  that  Parallel,  they  might  probably  have  difcovered 
that  Southern  Country  ;  but  by  quitting  that  Latitude,  and  falling 
into  Lat.  1 5°.  where  Schouten  had  before  found  an  open  Sea,  with 
only  a  few  Iflands  in  it  j  they  failed  from  that  Southern  Land,  and 
fo  miffed  the   Country  they  went  to  difcover. 

The  Tradl  betwixt  S.  Lat.  9°.  and  N.  Lat.  13°.  having  never  yet  to 
our  Knowledge  been  difcovered,  except  the  Ifles  de  los  Reys,  and  the 
Ifland  of  Fifhermen,  and  fome  uninhabited  Iflands  near  the  Ladro- 
nes,  vft  have  the  fame  Reafon  to  believe  that  there  may  be  rich  and 
populous  Iflands  there,  as  well  as  in  thofe  Seas  which  have  been 
attempted,  where  Difcoveries  have  been  made  j  for  I  find  no  Ac- 
count of  any  Ships  failing  between  thefe  two  Parallels,  except  the 
Ships  that  crofs'd  the  Line  in  failing  towards  Mexico,  after  finding 
out  the  Ifles  of  Solomon,  and  thefe  Ships  endeavouring  to  fliape 
their  Courfe  to  Mexico  the  fhorteft  Way,  mull  crofs  this  Trad: 
from  South  to  North,  failing  upon  a  Wind  to  get  out  of  the  Trade 
Wind,  which  was  againft  them,  and  had  confequently  very  little 
Chance  to  make  any  Difcovery  in  their  Paffage. 

The  Reafon  why  this  great  Trad:  in  the  richeft  Climate  in  the 
Globe  is  not  yet  difcovered,  I  take  to  be  this ;  That  moft  of  our 
Navigators  have  (hunned  filling  near,  or  under,  the  Line,  from  a 
millaken  Notion,  that  the  Equator  was  more  liable  to  Calms, 
Rains  and  Tornado's,  than  other  more  diftant  Latitudes ;  becaufe  it 
fo  happens,  that  upon  the  Guinea  and  African  Coaft  the  Line  is  fo 
fituated,  as  to  be  in  the  Eddy  between  the  Land-Avind  and  Trade, 
which  occafions  thefe  Calms,  Rains  and  Tornado's  ;  and  the  Spa- 
niards alfo  find  it  fo  upon  the  American  Coaft,  in  the  South-Sea^ 
under  the  Line,  for  the  fame  Reafon  ;  but  it  is  not  fo  under  the 
Line  near  the  River  of  Amazons,  where  the  true  Trade  blows,  nor 

at 


(  is8  ) 

at  a  proper  Diftance  from  the  Weftern  Coaft  of  Africa,  nor  in  the 
South- Sea  more  Wefterly,  where  the  Trade-wind  prevails  ;  for 
there  it  will  blow  as  frefh  as  in  any  Part  betwixt  the  Tropicks,  un- 
lefs  there  fhould  be  many  Iflands  more  Wefterly  under  the  Line, 
and  then  they  would  have  the  regular  Land  and  Sea-breeze,  or  if 
interrupted,  as  in  India,  by  many  very  large  Iflands,  then  they  , 
would  have  regular  Monfoons,  as  they  have  in  India. 

If  therefore  we  fhould  attempt  to  difcover  thefe  Seas  near,  and 
under,  the  Line,  I  make  no  doubt  but  we  fhould  difcover  Iflands 
equally  abounding  in  Spice  and  other  rich  Commodities  as  any  in 
India.  I  make  no  doubt  but  many  Iflands  may  be  found  in  the 
Northern  Seas,  from  Lat.  1 3  to  3  5°.  as  populous  as  thofe  to  the 
Southward,  tho'  we  have  no  Account  of  them  at  prefent  from  the 
Spaniards,  who  difcovered  fome  of  them,  fmce  in  the  Marian 
Iflands,  and  thofe  Eaftward  of  Japan,  tliey  are  all  inhabited,'  and 
very  populous ;  nor  can  there  be  the  leaft  Doubt  but  thofe  Coun- 
tries, from  Lat.  40°.  to  the  Polar  Circle,  are  as  well  peopled  as 
thofe  in  the  fame  Latitudes  in  AJia  and  America. 

If  then  an  eafy  Pafl"age  fhould  be  found  by  Sea  from  IIudfon'% 
Bay  to  that  vaft  Weftern  Ocean,  and  a  Trade  to  it  be  open'd  to 
all  the  Merchants  in  Britain,  it  may,  from  the  foregoing  Difcove- 
ries  and  Obfervations,  plainly  appear,  that  a  moft  extenfive,  as 
well  as  beneficial  Commerce,  would  be  laid  open  to  Britain,  pre- 
ferable to  any  other  Nation  in  'Europe ;  for  we  are  already  in  PofTef- 
fion  of  all  the  Trade  carried  on  through  the  Streights,  and  in  th» 
Bay  of  Hudfon  ;  and  alfo  all  the  Trade  to  be  found  through  the 
Bay,  which  has  been  given' up  to  us  by  the  French  in  the  Treaty 
of  Utrecht  ;  and  therefore  we  have  a  legal  Right,  by  that  Treaty, 
to  prevent  the  French  from  having  any  Benefit  by  that  PafTage ; 
and  we  fhall  have  a  Right  againft  the  Dutch,  Swedes,  and  Danes, 
as  firft  Difcoverers,  befides  the  Advantage  of  fettling  in  the  moft 
convenient  Situations  and  Harbours  on  the  other  Side  of  the  Paf- 
fage,  which  will  be  of  great  Benefit  in  carrying  on  our  Commerce 
in  thofe  Seas  :  Befides,  by  the  unaccountable  Behaviour  of  the 
Hudfon'?,  Bay  Company,  the  Government  and  Parliament  have  a 
juft  and  legal  Right  to  lay  open  that  Trade  to  all  the  Merchants  in 
Britain,  as  it  is  at  prefent  a  Monopoly  granted  only  by  Charter  from 
King  Charles  the  II.  without  any  A£t  of  Parliament  for  it,  as  I  have 
already  mentioned  ;  befides,  if  they  had  a  Right,  they  have  in- 
2  tirely 


(  IS9  ) 

tirely  forfeited  that  Right  by  Law,  in  not  fulfilling  the  Intention  of 
the  Grant,    which  was  chiefly  to  encourage  them  to  find  out  the 
PafiTage  North- we  ft  to  the  Weftern  Ocean,    which  is  the  Prayer  of 
their  Petition,    upon  which  their  Charter  was  founded,    and  is  fo 
exprefi^ed  in  their  Charter  :    This  they  have  not  only  neglefted  to 
do,   but  have  concealed  the  Knowledge,  or  Prefumptions  they  had 
of  it,  as  much  as  poffible  ;    and  have  not  only  chican'd  when  ap- 
plied to,  but  have  adually,  by  Letter  from  their  Governor,  refufed 
to  look  for  it,    when  applied  to  upon  that  Account,    and  have  alfo 
difcouraged  the  Attempts  of  others,  not  only  by  concealing  the  Na- 
vigation into  thofe  Sea-s,  by  obliging  their  Captains,  under  a  Penal- 
ty, not  to  make  or  publifh  any  Charts  or  Journals  of  thofe  Seas  and 
Coafts,  or  Voyages  thither,  but  alfo  by  having  laid  all  the  DifBcul- 
ties  they  durfl  upon  the  King's  Ships  lately  fent  upon  the  Difcove- 
ry,    having  claimed  and  taken  from  Captain  Middleton  an  Indian 
Boy,    whom  he  had  brought  to  England,    and  having  learned  the 
Englijh  Tongue,  would  have  proved  a  good  Interpreter,  and  made 
his  Clerk  a  Governor  of  one  of  their  Fadlories  to  induce  him  to 
leave  him,  and  alfo  fent  away  their  Ships  a  Month  earlier  than  ufu- 
al,  to  lie  in  the  Orkneys,  left  he  fhould  have  got  any  of  the  Sailors 
who  had  been  accuftomed  to,    and  acquainted  with,   that  Naviga- 
tion ;    but  even  went  farther,  to  tempt  the  Captain,  if  he  is  to  be 
believed,    to  quit  the  King's  Service,    and  not  to  attempt  the  Dif- 
covery,  and  offered  him  5000  /,  either  to  return  into  their  Service, 
or  look  for  it  in  Davis's  Streight,  or  Bajin's  Bay,  and  not  look  for 
it  in  Hudfon's  Bay  at  the  Welcome,  alledging  it  would  coft  the  Com- 
pany fo  much  to  fupport  their  Right  againft  the  Crown,  and  as  he 
had  beeen  their  Friend,  and  knew  all  their  Concerns,  it  would  be 
better  to  give  him  that  Sum  than  to  give  it  to  the  Lawyers.  When 
they  found  him  Proof  againft  their  Bribery,    they  then  thought  to 
diftrefs  him  another  Way,  by  writing  to  their  Governor  at  Churchill, 
which  was  the  moft  convenient  Harbour  for  the  King's  Ships  to 
winter  in,   and  was  neareft  to  the  Paffage,  not  to  receive  him  into 
their  Port ;  and  afterwards,  when  the  Company  were  applied  to  by 
the  Lords  of  the  Admiralty,    to  allow  him  to  winter  there,    if  it 
was  neceffary  for  him,  and  to  give  him  what  Affiftance  they  could 
in  fupplying  his  Wants,    which  they  would  thankfully  repay  the 
Company  in  Lo}idon.     After  deliberating  fome  Time  upon  an  An- 
fwer,  they  wrote  to  the  Lords  of  the  Admiralty,  that  they  had  fent 

fuch 


(  i6o  ) 

fuch  a  Letter  as  their  Lordfhips  defired  to  their  Governor  at  Church- 
hilly  and  dilpatched  it  by  Poil  to  their  Ships  at  the  Orkneys.  This 
being  no  way  fatisfadtory  to  Captain  Middleton,  who  had  been  in- 
formed of  their  Letter  to  their  Governor  not  to  admit  him,  he  ap- 
plied for  a  Duplicate,  to  carry  it  with  him,  in  cafe  the  other  lliould 
mifcarry,  there  being  no  fettled  Poft  to  the  Orkneys ;  upon  which 
they  gave  him  a  Duplicate  fealed  up,  and  upon  Application  a  Copy 
of  it,  to  know  what  it  contained,  which  was  in  thefe  Words : 


Hudfon's  Bay  Houfe,  London,  May  15,   1 74 1 . 

Mr.    James    Ifham,    and  Cou?icil,    at  Prince    of  Wales's   Fort, 
Churchill  River, 
Gentlemen, 

NOtwithftanding  our  Orders  to  you,  if  Captain  Middleton  (who 
is  fent  abroad  in  the  Government's  Service  to  difcover  a  Paf- 
fage  North-weft)  fhould,  by  inevitable  Neceffity,  be  brought  into 
real  Diftrefs,  and  Danger  of  his  Life,  and  Lofs  of  his  Ship,  in 
fuch  cafe  you  are  then  to  give  him  the  beft  Afliftance  and  Relief 
you  can.    We  remain 

Your  loving  Friends^ 

Bibye  Lake,  Governor. 

William  Elderton. 

y.  Winter. 

Atwell  Lake. 

John  Anthony  Merle. 

John  Merry. 

Upon  fo  extraordinary  a  Difcovery  of  the  Inclinations  of  the 
Company  to  baffle  the  Attempt  of  finding  out  the  Paflage,  and  to 
difcourage  Captain  Middleton  from  profecuting  the  Difcovery,  the 
Lords  of  the  Admiralty  thought  it  neceflary  to  apply  to  the  Lords 
of  the  Regency,  that  the  Secretary  of  State  might,  by  their  Or- 
ders, write  to  the  Company,  to  require  that  Afliftance  which  they 
refufed  to  the  Admiralty,  which  was  fent ;  an,d  upon  that  the  Com- 
pany gave  a  Letter  to  the  Captain  in  a  more  humane  and  friendly 
Stile  i  but,  in  confequence  of  their  Offer,   it  is  plain  that  he  ftifled 

and 


(   i6i   ) 

and  difguifed  the  Difcovery  of^  the  Paflage.  By  this  it  is  evident 
that  the  Company  beUeve  there  is  a  Paflage,  which  they  want  to 
conceal ;  for  otherwife  it  had  been  their  Intereft  to  have  had  the 
Attempt  made,  and  if  not  found,  there  would  have  been  an  End 
to  the  profecuting.it  any  farther  ;  and  they  might  probably  have  en- 
joyed their  Trade  to  the  Bay,  without  its  being  coveted,  or  enqui- 
red into.  Upon  the  Prefumption  therefore  of  this  Paflage,  I  fhall 
mention  what  beneficial  Commerce  may  be  laid  open  upon  this 
Difcovery's  being  made. 

The  firfl:  that  appears  is  upon  the  North- wefl:  Coafl:  oi  America, 
from  the  Welcome,  or  Ne  Ultra,  in  Lat.  65°.  to  Cape  Blanco,  in 
California,  in  Lat.  43°.  In  this  is  contained  22°.  of  Latitude,  and 
at  leafl  30°.  in  Longitude,  befldes  the  Inlets  that  may  be  in  thofe 
Seas  into  the  North- wefl:  Coafl:  of  America,  a  Tradt  of  at  leaft  600 
Leagues,  which  abounds  with  Furs,  Skins  and  Copper,  and  pro- 
bably with  other  rich  Commodities. 

By  all  the  Accounts  tranfmitted  to  us  from  the  Spaniards  upon 
the  firfl:  Difcovery  of  New  Mexico,  and  the  Countries  of  Cibola  and 
^ivira,  North-weftward  of  it,  we  have  reafon  to  believe  that 
there  are  many  populous,  civilized,  and  induftrious  Nations,  from 
the  Latitude  of  38°.  North,  to  the  Latitude  of  50°.  or  more  North- 
erly, on  the ,  North-weft  of  the  Continent  of  America ;  which 
Accounts  are  of  late  confirmed  by  Lahontan,  and  by  Cox,  if  his  Ac- 
count may  be  depended  upon,  in  which  they  feverally  agree  that 
there  are  great  trading  Nations  upon  large  Rivers  and  Lakes,  which 
difcharge  their  Waters  into  the  Weftern  Sea,  in  which  they  have 
great  VeflTels  for  Trade,  which  is  carried  on  upon  that  Coafl.  This 
is  now  confirmed  by  the  Natives  Weft  ward  of  Churchill,  who  hav- 
ing been  there,  informed  them  that  they  faw  upon  the  Weftern 
Coaft,  almoft  in  the  fame  Latitude  of  Churchill  {Lzt.  59'.)  many 
trading  Ships,  as  large  as  ours,  from  whom  they  got  Copper  Oar, 
and  Copper,  which  they  produced  to  them  at  Churchill,  within 
thefe  few  Years.  I  think  therefore  a  fliort  Abftradt  of  the  Spanijh 
Account,  and  alfo  of  Lahontah's,  may  be  properly  inferted  in  this 
Place. 

In  the  Year  1537,  ^^^'^  Friars  travelling  Northward  from  Mex~ 
ico,  as  Mifllonaries  to  inftriift  and  civilize  the  Natives,  and  make 
Difcoveries,  went  as  far  North  as  C/^o/^,  in  about  Lat.  37°.  and 
upon  their  Return  gave  fo  fine  an  Account  of  that  Country,    and 

Y  thofe 


(     l62    ) 

thofe  through  which  they  pafled,  affirming  that  there  were  large 
Cities,  the  Houfes  3  or  4  Stories  high,  buik  of  Lime  and  Stone, 
which  were  very  rich,  abounding  in  Turquoifes  and  rich  Mines  ; 
that  it  encouraged  the  Viceroy  to  fend  Fafques  de  Coronado,  with  a 
large  Body  of  Horfemen,  and  others,  to  make  a  further  Difcove- 
ry,  and  to  fubdue  them,  and  make  a  Settlement;  and  in  1539  he 
fent  two  Ships,  commanded  by  Francis  de  JJllba,  to  difcover  the 
Gulph  and  Coail  of  Calif orma,:xnd  the  Year  following  Ferdi?iand  Al- 
archon  failed  the  fame  Courfe,  to  difcover  that  Gulph  by  Sea,  whilfl 
Coronado  was  to  travel  by  Land,  and,  if  pofTible,  to  correfpond  with 
each  other,  Coronado  being  fuppofed  not  to  travel  far  from  the  Sea- 
coafl. 

Coronado  either  went  a  different  Rout  from  the  Friars,  until  he 
got  to  Cibola^  or  found  the  Country  he  paffed  through  quite  diffe- 
rent from  what  the  Friars  had  reprefented  it ;  and  when  he  came 
there,  found  the  Towns  neither  fo  rich  nor  populous  as  the  Friars 
had' given  out.  They  had  Stone  and  Lime  Houfes  3  or  4  Stories 
high,  and  went  into  the  upper  Stories  by  Ladders ;  but  they  found 
very  few  Turquoifes  or  other  rich  Metals  among  them.  He  pufh'd 
farther  Northwards,  towards  %r/wV^,  and  Weflward,  where  he 
found  the  Country  better  improved,  and  tlie  People  more  induflri- 
ous,  and  better  civilized,  and  fent  Don  Garcias  Lopez  de  Cardenas 
as  far  as  the  Weftern  Sea  j  the  Country  was  very  temperate,  and 
abounded  with  Fruit  there  ;  they  laid  they  faw  Ships  on  the  Coafl 
which  had  Alcatrazas  or  Pelicans  of  Gold  and  Silver  on  their  Prows, 
which  had  Merchandize  ;  they  apprehended  them  to  be  from  Chi- 
na,  having  been  above  30  Days  in  failing  thither,  as  they  made  ap- 
pear by  Signs  to  the  Spatiiards. 

Coronado  fending  fo  indifferent  an  Account  of  Cibola,  which  the 
Spaniards  laid  was  occafioncd  from  his  jufl  ha\'ing  married  a  young 
Wife,  and  his  being  apprehenfive,  that  if  he  made  a  Settlement, 
the  Viceroy  would  oblige  him  to  flay  there  j  and  afterwards  dy- 
ing upon  the  Road  as  he  was  returning,  the  Spaniards  for  many 
Years  did  not  renew  the  Attempt.  Alarchon,  at  the  fame  time,  by 
Sea,  in  about  Lat.  31;^.  got  to  the  very  Head  of  the  Gulph  of  G?- 
lifornia,  v/here  both  JJlloa  and  he  found  a  Tide,  which  flowed 
from  the  Southward,  which  rofe  6  Fathoms,  he  coming  on  Ground 
upon  the  Falling  of  the  Tide,  thought  he  had  loft  his  Ship  ;  but  it 
foon  after  floating  with  the  Tide  of  Flood,  he  got  into  a  great  Ri- 


(  i63  ) 

ver,  moored  his  Ship,  and  in  his  Boat  went  up  the  River  about 
85  Leagues,  finding  numerous  Nations  of  humane  and  civil  Peo- 
ple, and  at  laft  got  Ibme  Account  of  Cibola  and  Corofiado,  which 
was  ten  Days  Journey  from  the  Place  he  was  at.  He  thence  re- 
turned to  his  Ships,  and  from  thence  to  Acapidco  ;  he  called  the 
River  Buena  Guia.  Thefe  two  Voyages  afcertains  California  to  be 
a  Part  of  the  Continent,  they  having  had  the  Land  in  view  on  both 
■Sides  until  it  clofed  in  that  River. 

The  Sfariiards  difcontinued  the  further  Difcovery  of  Cibola  and 
^ivira  until  the  Year  i  582,  when  it  was  again  undertaken  by  An- 
tonio de  Vefpejo^  from  St.  Bartholomew  in  Mexico,  by  the  Rio  del 
Nord,  ov  North- River,  a  very  large  River,  which  runs  from  the 
North  through  New  MexicOy  and  falls  into  the  Gulph  of  Mexico, 
Weftward  of  the  MiJJiJJippi.  He  fet  out  the  i  oth  of  November, 
1582.  In  two  Days  Journey  he  reached  the  Conchas  Indians,  who 
conduced  him  24  Leagues  North.  He  then  got  to  the  Pajfaquetes, 
who  went  with  him  four  Days  Journey  in  a  Country  rich  in  Silver 
Mines.  A  Day's  Journey  farther  he  got  to  Tobojds.  1 2  Leagues 
farther  he  got  to  others  called  yumanos,  a  numerous  People,  in 
Stone  and  Lime  Houfes.  They  travelled  on  1 2  Leagues  along  the 
North  River,  ^\\\  Northward,  and  got  to  another  Nation  cloathedin 
Shamois  Skins,  and  covered  with  Cotton  Mantles ;  thefe  conducted 
them  five  Days  Journey  Weflward,  to  a  Country  full  of  Silver 
Mines.  They  went  thence  higher  up  the  River  to  another  popu- 
lous Nation,  15  Days  Journey  Wefl;  they  were  told  there  was  a 
great  Lake,  the  Coafl  of  which  was  full  of  populous  Towns,  but 
they  went  not  to  it,  but  proceeded  Northward  15  Days,  above  80 
Leagues,  through  Woods  and  Plains,  upon  the  fame  River,  until 
they  got  to  New  Mexico,  fo  named  by  them.  Two  Days  further 
they  got  to  I  o  Towns  upon  the  fame  River,  well  inhabited  by  1 0000 
People,  well  cloathed,  who  lived  in  high  Houfes  with  Stoves ; 
they  had  Cotton  and  Deer  Skin  Cloaths,  with  Shoes  and  Boots,  and 
arable  Lands.  From  thence  they  went  to  the  Province  of  'Tigues, 
who  having  fome  time  before  kill'd  two  Friars,  they  fled  from 
them.  The  Captain  and  two  of  his  Men  went  to  another  Pro- 
vince, near  Cibola,  where  there  were  40000  People  ;  they  then 
went  to  the  ^iros,  where  there  were  14000,  in  Lat.  37°.  30'. 
14  Leagues  farther  they  arrived  at  Cunanes,  or  Fiinanes,  where  were 
5  Towns,  one  called  G'<7,  which  had  8  Market  Places  j  the  Houfes 

Y  2  ^Vere 


(  i64) 


were  plaiftered  and  painted  ;  in  this  were  20000  Inhabitants, 
thefe  were  civilized,  and  better  governed  and  cloathed  ;  here  were 
rich  Metals.  6  Leagues  farther  they  came  to  another  Province  of 
7  Towns,  containing  about  30000  Inhabitants,  thefe  were  alfo  well 
governed  and  civilized,  j  5  Leagues  further  Well  they  found  ano- 
ther Town  called  Acoma^  fituated  upon  a  Rock,  containing  6000 
People,  clad  as  the  others  in  Cottons  and  Shamois  Skins.  24  Leagues 
farther  Weft  they  came  to  Zuni.,  called  by  them  Cibola,  where  Co- 
ronado  had  been  above  40  Years  before ;  there  they  found  three 
Indian  Chriftians,  who  had  been  there  from  that  Time,  who 
told  them,  that  60  Days  Journey  farther  was  a  great  Lake,  upon 
the  Banks  of  which  were  many  large  populous  Towns,  rich  in 
Gold.  Coronado  had  gone  1 2  Days  Journey  towards  it,  but  wanting 
Water  returned,  deiigiiing  to  go  again,  but  died  upon  his  Return, 
as  is  mentioned  before.  The  Captain,  with  nine  Men,  defigned 
to  go  and  make  this  Difcovery,  the  reft  returning.  After  he  had 
travelled  28  Leagues  Weft,  he  found  a  great  Province,  which  con- 
tained above  50000  People,  who  fent  to  him  not  to  enter  their 
Country,  but  they  afterwards  received  him  kindly,  and  gave  him 
many  Prefents.  Thofe  confomed  the  Account  he  had  before  of  the 
great  Lake,  and  the  Riches  of  the  Towns  about  it ;  he  left  here 
five  of  his  Men  to  return  to  Zuni,  and  rode  Poft  with  four  to  fee 
fome  rich  Mines  which  they  told  him  of,  and  travelling  with  his 
Guides  45  Leagues  Weft,  he  got  to  the  Place,  and  took  out  very 
rich  Oar  from  the  Min^.  Here  were  peaceable  Indians,  and  two 
pretty  large  Rivers,  where  were  line  Vines,  Walnut-trees,  and 
Flax.  The  Men,  by  Signs,  told  them,  that  beyond  thefe  Moun- 
tains there  was  a  great  River,  8  Leagues  wide,  but  could  not  find 
out  how  far  it  was  to  it,  but  faid  it  run  into  the  North-Sea,  and 
that  upon  its  Banks  were  great  Towns,  to  which  their  own,  when 
compared  to  them,  were  but  fmall  Hamlets,  He  returned  from 
thence  to  Mexico, 

Ludovicus  TribaldiiS  wrote  from  Valadolid  to  Richard  Hackhiit, 
in  1605,  that  T>on  'John  de  Onate  in  the  Year  1599,  went  with 
5000  People  to  conquer  thofe  Countries  500  Leagues  from  Mexico ; 
that  he  took  the  Town  oi  Acoma  in  about  Lat.  32°.  40'.  after  that 
he  proceeded  Northwards  to  another  great  City,  whibh  he  obliged 
to  fubmit ;  and  after  that  came  to  another  which  was  greater,  which 
he  through  Friendlhip  induced  to  fubmit  to  him  ;  he  afterwards 
I  „  *  built 


(  i65  ) 


built  a  City  near  Cibola^  which  he  called  St.  John's  Town,  and 
finding  rich  Mines  there,  they  refolved  to  fettle.  In  1602  he  un- 
dertook a  new  Difcovery  of  the  great  Northern  River,  which  at 
length  he  accompliflied,  and  went  from  thence  to  the  famous 
Lake  called  the  Lake  of  Conibas,  where  he  pretended  he  faw  a 
City  of  vaft  Extent,  feven  Leagues  long,  and  two  wide,  the  Houfes 
feparated  from  each  other,  and  finely  built  and  ornamented,  with 
fine  Gardens ;  he  faid  the  numerous  Inhabitants  had  all  retired  at 
his  Approach,  and  fortified  themfelves  in  the  Market-place  or  great 
Square  ;  upon  which  not  daring  to  attack  them,  he  returned  to 
St.  "John's  Town,  and  lived  there  happily.  This  latter  Part  feems 
to  have  the  Air  of  a  Romance. 

Lahon 'an  fstiling  up  the  long  River  in  1688  and  1689,    found 
the  Gnacfitares  more  civilized  than  the  more  eafterly  Indians  near 
the  Mijijfippi,  and  the  Mofemleek  Nation  at  the  Foot  of  the  Hills 
on  the  Welt  Side,  where  the  Rivers  take  their  Rife  which  fall  in- 
to the  Weftern  Sea,  were  much  more  civilized  than  the  Gnacfitares, 
they  were  cloathed  and  had  Beards,  and  their  Hair  came  down  to 
their.  Ears,  and  had  as  grave  an  Afpetl  as  Spatiiards ;    thefe  laft 
told  him,  at  the  Diftance  of  1 50  Leagues  from  the  Place  he  was  in, 
their  River  difcharged  itfelf  into  a  great  Salt  Lake  300  Leagues  in 
Circumference,  where  it  was  two  Leagues  wide  ;  that  on  the  lower 
Part  of  the  River  were   fix  large  noble   Cities,    furrounded  with 
Stone,  cemented  with  fat  Earth  ;  that  there  were  1 00  Towns  great 
and  fmall  around  the  Lake  ;  they  had  upon    it  large  Veflels    130 
Foot  long,  with  w  hich  they  navigated  that  Lake ,  the  Inhabitants 
made  Stuffs,  Copper  Axes,  and  other  Manufaftures  ;  the  Govern- 
ment was  defpotick  ;    they  were  called  Tahuglauk,  and   faid,  in 
their  Way  of  Speech,  they  were  as  numerous  as  the  Leaves  upon 
the  Trees  ;  they  had  Leather  and  make  Boots  of  it  j  the  Lake  is 
30  Leagues  broad,  ftretching  to  the  Southward.     ThtTahuglauk 
had   Beards   two  Inches  long,  Coats  down  to  their   Knees,    had 
iliarp  Caps  on  their  Heads,  had   Canes   with  tip'd   Heads,    and 
Boots  ;  the  Women  did  not  fhew    themfelves  ;  they  were  at  War 
with  feveral  populous  Nations  near  the  Lake,  and  in  its  Neigh- 
bourhood. 

Cox  in  his.Carolana  fays  the  Tellow  River,  or  River  of  the  Maf- 
forites,  has  its  Source  in  the  fame  Hills  with  the  long  River,  on 
the  Well  Side  of  which,  after  a  Day's  Journey,  are  Springs,  which 

form 


(  I<^<^  ) 


form  a  great  River,  which  falls  into  the  great  Lake  mentioned  by 
Labontan,  the  Lidians  affirming  that  there  are  great  Ships  failing 
in  that  Lake,  twenty  times  larger  than  their  Canoes ;  that  this 
Lake  forms  another  River  below  it,  which  is  difcharged  into  the 
Weftern  Sea. 

Cox  fays  farther,  that  he  had  a  Journal  communicated  to  him 
in  Manufcript,  by  which,  if  genuine,  it  appeared  that  one  Cap- 
tain Coxton,  in  King  Charles  the  Second's  Time,  Commander  of  a 
Privateer  cruizing  for  the  Manila  Ship,  being  too  foon  at  Califor- 
nia.  by  fome  Months,  failing  Northwards,  difcovered  a  great  Ri- 
ver in  N.  Lat.  and  within  it  a  great  Lake  ;  near  the  Entrance 
lie  found  a  convenient  Ifland  to  refit  his  Ship  in,  and  flaid  there 
two  or  three  Months  j  he  happened  to  have  a  Man  on  board  who 
underftood  their  Language  ;  he  was  kindly  received  by  them, 
when  they  underftood  he  was  an  Enemy  to  the  Spaniards ;  he 
called  them  the  Nation  of  Thoya  ;  they  often  engage  the  Spani- 
ards and  beat  them,  bringing  30  or  40000  Men  into  the  Field, 
At  the  proper  Seafon  they  failed  W.  by  S.  and  came  to  five  Iflands, 
about  50  or  60  Miles  each  in  Compafs,  one  he  touch'd  at  was 
called  Earindg.  or  Carinda,  they  fupplied  him  with  Provifions,  and 
86  Pound  Weight  of  Gold,  in  Truck  for  his  Commodities,  in 
three  or  four  Days  Time  ;  they  faid  they  had  no  more  then,  fup- 
plying  themfelves  only  at  a  certain  Seafon,  when  Ships  came  to 
trade  with  them  from  the  Weft,  fuppofed  by  him  from  Japan. 
So  far  Cox,  if  he  is  to  be  credited. 

On  the  Right  or  Starboard  Side  of  the  Paflage,  it  is  highly  pro- 
bable that  there  are  many  great  Countries,  in  a  Trad:  of  above 
1 3  or  1 400  Leagues  betwixt  A^<?  uhra  and  Japan ;  which  is  in 
Lat.  38°.  which  would  afford  a  vaft  Variety  in  Trade,  to  return 
for  the  Woollen  and  Iron  Manufaftures,  and  other  Goods  which 
they  would  neceflarily  take  from  Britain,  in  thofe  temperate  or 
cold  Climates, 

The  Peninfula  of  California,  from  Cape  Blanco  in  Lat.  43°.  to 
Cape  6'^.  Lucas  in  Lat.  23°.  30'.  a  Coaft  of  above  400  Leagues, 
and  alfo  within  the  Gulph  higher  than  the  Latitude  of  34°.  where 
it  terminates  in  a  great  River  navigable  for  fome  hundred  Miles 
into  the  Country  oi  Cibola  and  ^ivi?ia,  populous  and  civilized 
Nations ;  and  alfo  the  Eaft  Coaft  of  the  Gulph,  of  near  300 
Leagues  Extent,  of  which  no  Part  is  poflefs'd  by  the  Spaniards ;  Co 

large 


(   i67  ) 

large  a  Coaft  and  Country  will  in  fome  time  open  a  confiderable 
Trade  to  us. 

The  Trade  along  the  Mexican  and  Guatimala  Coaft,  and  Terra 
Firma^  as  far  as  Panama,  nay  even  as  far  as  Peru  and  Chili,  would 
then  be  within  the  Circle  of  our  Commerce  in  Time  of  Peace  ; 
and  open  to  our  Depredations  in  Time  of  War,  which  would  in- 
duce the  Spaniards  to  live  upon   good  Terms  with  us. 

On  the  other  Hand,  we  Ihould  be  able  to  open  a  Trade  to  ya- 
pan  and  China,  an  eafier  and  Ihorter  Way,  as  well  as  the  rich 
Iflands  in  the  Neighbourhood  of  Japan,  which  would  afford  a 
very  extenlive  Trade ;  for  the  Emperor  of  Japan  would  find  it  his 
Intereft  to  trade  with  us  upon  equitable  Terms  ;  for  they  being  very 
bad  Sailors,  our  Ships  might  dillrefs  them,  and  cut  off  their  Com- 
munication from  the  rich  Iflands  they  trade  to,  Eaflward  of  them, 
in  cafe  they  us'd  us  as  Enemies,  and  refufed  us  an  equitable  Trade  ; 
iince  Furs  are  highly  valued  in  Japan  and  China,  the  Fur  Trade 
in  North  America,  and  the  cold  Countries  betwixt  it  and  Japan, 
when  difcovered,  would  afford  us  a  very  great  Fund  for  that  Trade, 
befidjss  what  European  Goods  would  be  Avanted  there. 

The  Philippine  and  Spice  Iflands  would  be  within  the  Circle  of 
our  Trade,  and  we  might  probably  find  out  other  Spice  Iflands, 
equally  beneficial  to  trade  with,  as  thofe  poffefi^ed  by  the  Dutch, 
iince  there  are  a  vafl  Number  of  Iflands  Eaflward  of  the  Dutch 
Spice  Iflands,  in  the  fame  Latitudes  j  and  both  Mandana  and  Gi- 
ros  in  their  Difcoveries  of  the  IJIes  of  Solomon,  and  the  other 
Iflands,  fay  exprefly,  that  they  faw  in  them  Cloves,  Nutmegs, 
Ginger  and  Cinnamon  ;  and  if  to  thefe  Iflands  we  add  that  vaft 
Tradt  yet  undifcovered  on  each  Side  of  the  Line,  and  beyond 
thefe  from  S.  Lat.  1 5°.  to  the  Lat.  of  66°.  it  can't  eafily  be  con- 
ceived how  extenfive  that  Trade  may  prove  j  being  a  Space  almofl 
equal  to  all  I  have  already  named,  extending  from  New  Guinea  to 
Chili,  about  2000  Leagues,  and  from  the  Lat.  of  60°  South,  only 
to  40°.  North,  2000  Leagues  ;  which  is  almofl  a  Square  of  2000 
Leagues ;  a  mofl  immenfe  Tradl,  almofl  equal  to  the  Continent 
o^  Europe,  Afta,  and  /Ifrica.  ' 

If  then  a  Difcovery  fhould  be  made  of  this  Paflage,  to  carry  on 
fo  vail  a  Trade  to   Advantage,    a  confiderable  Settlement  fhould 
be  immediately  made  in  California,  or  rather  upon  fome  conve- 
nient-Ifland  near  that  Coafl,  in  cafe  one  fhould  be   found  with  a 
I  fafe 


(  i68  ) 

fafe  and  capacious  Harbour,  with  Woods  and  proper  Materials  for 
fupplying  and  refitting  of  Ships  j  the  Ifle  of  Cenifas  or  Carras, 
or  Ifle  of  Cedars,  or  any  on  that  Coafl  which  may  be  found  pro- 
per, thefe  being  in  a  fine  Latitude,  betwixt  28°.  and  32°.  or  the 
Port  of  Montery  in  Lat.  37°.  That  Settlement  lliould  be  made 
the  Rendezvous  for  all  Ships  going  from,  or  returning  to  -Europe, 
where  Ships  fhould  flop, for  Refrelbments,  and  to  be  refitted  be- 
fore they  proceed  farther,  or  return  to  Europe  ;  and  fhould  be 
the  Head  Settlement,  as  Batavia'xs  to  the  Dutch  m  Lidia,  and 
from  hence  the  Trade  might  Spread  to  Afia,  India,  Mexico  and 
Peru  ;  and  from  this  Place  the  Iflands  in  the  great  South  Sea 
might  be  difcovered,  and  a  Commerce  be  begun  with  them..  Af- 
ter this  Settlement  is  made  fecure,  another  fhould  be  formed  in 
a  Southern  Latitude,  about  30°.  about  7  or  800  Leagues  from  the 
Jlmerican  Coaft,  perhaps  the  Ifle  of  Eajler,  or  fome  other  Ifland 
with  a  good  Harbour  and  fruitful  Soil,  where  the  Natives  are 
peaceable  and  humane,  and  fi"om  thence  a  further  Difcovery  South- 
erly and  Wefterly,  and  a  Trade,  may  be  begun  with  thefe  Regi- 
ons, as  well  as  with  thofe  nearer  the  Line  ;  fo  that  thofe  two 
Settlements  would  be  as  two  Centres,  the  one  for  the  Southern, 
and  the  other  for  the  Northern  Countries  and  Iflands  difperfed 
through  thofe  Seas  ;  when  thefe  were  made,  if  the  only  true  and 
laudable  Method  was  followed,  of  civilizing  and  afliftiing  the  Na- 
tives, and  putting  them  upon  proper  Improvements  in  their  feveral 
Countries  and  Iflands,  fuitable  to  their  diflferent  Climates,  that 
might  be  beneficial  to  themfelves,  and  proper  for  Trade  ;  the 
Englifls  might  be  the  Carriers  of  all  thofe  Nations,  which  would 
give  them  an  immenfe  Profit,  and  fiirnifh  them  with  all  our  Ma- 
nufactures, and  fuch  other  European  Commodities  as  they  fhould 
want,  without  being  at  any  great  Expence  of  People,  to  fettle 
other  Countries  in  thofe  Seas :  Here  would  be  Room  for  Im- 
provements in  Trade  for  Ages  to  come,  and  would  give  full 
Employment  to  our  Manufadurers,  and  Merchants  in  Britain^ 
and  a  perpetual  Return  of  Wealth  ;  and  at  the  fame  Time  we 
fhould  civilize  and  make  happy  numberlefs  Nations,  and  bring 
them,  by  Degrees,  to  be  capable  of  knowing  divine  Truths. 


H  I  S 


A  P  PEN  D  I  X. 

CONTAINING 

His  MAJESTY'S 

ROYAL  CHARTER 

TO    THE 

GOVERNOR    and  COMPANY 

O    F 

H  U  D  S  O  N's    B  A  T: 

AND 
.  Other  Papers  relating  to  the  Trade  to  that  Place. 

TOGETHER    WITH 

A  Vocabulary  of  the  Languages  of  feme  of  the  adjoining 
INDIAN  Nations. 


Z 


H  O 


Ji.    -L       JL 


(  171  ) 


His    majesty's 
ROYAL  CHARTER 

T  O    T  H  E 

GOVERNOR  ^;/^  COMPANY 

O  F 

H  U  D  S  O  Ns    BAT. 

CHARLES  the  II.  by  the  Grace  of  God,  King  of  Eng-  charter  oF 
la?id,    Scotland,    France  and  Ireland,    Defender  of  the  iiudfon'%  Bay, 
Faith,    ^c.    to  all  to  whom  thefe  Prefents  fhall  come,  ^'^"^  ^-  '^^^■ 
greeting  :    Whereas  Our  dear  intirely  beloved  Goufin,'  preamble 
Prince  Rupert,    Count  Palatine  of  the  Rhine,    Duke  of  Bavaria  Names  a^nd 
and  Cumberland,  &c.    George,  Duke  of  Albemarle,    William,  Earl  Qaaii"",  of 
oi  Craven,    Henry,    Lord  Arlingtotz,    Anthony,    Lord  A/hley,    sij. '**^P'''^^"'"'- 
JoIm  Robin/on,    and  Sir  Robert  Vyner,    Knights  and  Baronets'    Sir 
Peter  Colleton,    Baronet,    Sir  Edivard  Hmigerford,    Knight  of  the 
Bath,    Sir  Paul  Neele,    Sir  John  Griffith,   Sir  Philip  Carteret,  and 
Sir  James  Hayes,    Knights,   John  Kirke,  Francis  Millington,  Wil- 
liam Prettyman,    John  Fenn,    Efquires,    and  John  Portman,  Citi- 

Z  2  zen 


[   ^7^  ) 

zen  and  Goldfmith  of  London,  have,  at  their  own  great  Coft  and 
Charges,  undertaken  an  Expedition  for  Hudfon'^  Bay,  in  the  North- 
weft  Parts  of  America,  for  the  Difcovery  of  a  new  PaiTage  into  the 
South-Sea,  and  for  the  finding  of  fome  Trade  for  Furs,  Minerals, 
and  other  confiderable  Commodities,  and  by  fuch  their  Undertak- 
ing, have  already  made  fuch  Difcoveries  as  do  encourage  them  to 
proceed  farther  in  Purfuanc^e  of  their  faid  Delign,  by  means  where- 
of there  may  probably  arife  great  Advantage  to  Us  and  Our  King- 
doms. 

SnlJ  lUljeCCaiS  the  faid  Undertakers,  for  their  farther  Encourage- 
ment in  the  faid  Defign,    have  humbly  befought  Us  to  incorporate 
them,  and  grant  unto  them,  and  their  SuccefTors,  the  whole  Trade 
and  Commerce  of  all  thofe  Seas,  Streights  and  Bays,  Rivers,  Lakes, 
Creeks  and  Sounds,    in  whatfoever  Latitude  they  fhall  be,    that  lie 
within  the  Entrance  of  the  Streights  commonly  called  Hudfon's 
Streights,    together  with  all  the  Lands,    Countries  and  Territories, 
upon  the  Coafts  and  Confines  of  the  Seas,   Streights,  Bays,  Lakes, 
Rivers,  Creeks  and  Sounds,  aforefaid,  which  are  not  now  actually 
poffefTed  by  any  of  Our  Subjedts,    or  by  the  Subjects  of  any  other 
Chriftian  Prince  or  State. 
The  Grant         Ji^OHJ  ttllOU)  ^Z,    That  We  being  defirous  to  promote  all  Endea- 
of  Insorpora-  vours  that  may  tend  to  the  publick  Good  of  Our  People,    and  to 
faid  Paten-     cncourage  the  faid  Undertaking,  have,  of  Our  efpecial  Grace,  cer- 
tces;  tain  Knowledge,    and  mere  Motion,    given,    granted,  ratified  and 

confirmed,  and  by  thefe  Prefents  for  Us,  Our  Heirs  and  SuccefTors, 
do  give,    grant,    ratify  and  confirm,    unto  Our  faid  Coufin  Prince 
Rupert,    George,    Duke  of  Albemarle,    William,    Earl  of  Craven, 
Henry,  Lord  Arlington,  Anthony,  Lord  Afiley,  Sir  John  Uobinfon, 
Sir  Robert  Vyner,    Sir  Feter  Colleton,    Sir  Edward  Hujtgerford,  Sir 
Paul  Neele,    Sir  John  Griffith,    Sir  Philip  Carteret,  and  Sir  James 
Hayes,  John  Kirke,  Francis  Millington,  William  Prettyrnan,  John 
f'enn,    and  John  Port  man,    that  they,    and  fuch  others  as  Ihall  be 
admitted  into  the  faid  Society  as  is  hereafter  ejfpreffed,    fhall  be 
one  Body  Corporate  and  Politique,  in  Deed  and  in  Name,  by  the 
Their  Title,   Name  oi 'The  Governor  and  Company  of  Adventurers  of  England, 
'cf'Jiwll?'   ^^'^^^"S  "^^''  Hudfon's  Bay,    and  them  by  the  Name  of  The  Gover- 
tn  ofEng-     nor  and  Company  of  Adventurers  of  England,  trading  into  Hadfon's 
lf»d,tradhg  ^ay,    one  Body  Corporate  and  Politique,    in  Deed  and  in  Name, 
*B%.  "         really  and  fully  for  ever,  for  Us,  Our  Heirs  and  Succeflbrs,  We  do 

1  make 


(  173  ) 

make,  ordain,  conftitute,  eftabli/h,  confirm  and  declare,  by  thefe 
Prefents,  and  that  by  the  fame  Name  of  Governor  and  Company  of 
Adventurers  of  Etigland^  trading  into  Hudfon's  Bay,  they  fliall 
have  perpetual  SuccefTion,  and  that  they  and  their  Succeflbrs,  by 
the  Name  of  Governor  and  Company  of  Adventurers  oj  England, 
trading  into  Hudfon's  Bay,  be,  and  at  all  Times  hereafter  fhall  be, 
perfonable  and  capable  in  Law  to  have,  purchafe,  receive,  poiTefs, 
enjoy  and  retain,  Lands,  Rents,  Privileges,  Liberties,  Jurifdiftion, 
Franchifes  and  Hereditaments,  of  what  Kind,  Nature  or  Quality 
foever  they  be,  to  them  and  their  SuccefTors ;  and  alfo  to  give, 
grant,  alien,  affign  and  difpofe  Lands,  Tenements  and  Heredita- 
ments, and  to  do,  execute  all  and  lingular  other  Things  by  the 
fame  Name  that  to  them  Ihall  or  may  appertain  to  do.  And  that 
they,  and  their  Succeffors,  by  the  Name  of  The  Governor  and  Com- 
pany of  Adventurers  of  England,  trading  into  Hudfon's  Bay,  may 
plead,  and  be  impleaded,  anfwer,  and  be  anfvvered,  defend,  and 
be  defended,  in  whatfoever  Courts  and  Places,  before  whatfoever 
Judges  and  Juftices,  and  other  Perfons  and  Officers,  in  all  or  An- 
gular Adtions,  Pleas,  Suits,  Quarrels  and  Demands,  whatfoever, 
of  whatfoever  Kind,  Nature  or  Sort,  in  fuch  Manner  and  Form  as 
any  other  Oar  Liege  People  of  this  Our  Realm  of  England,  be- 
ing Perfons  able  and  capable  in  Law,  may,  or  can  have,  pur- 
chafe, receive,  poffefs,  enjoy,  retain,  give,  grant,  demife,  alien, 
affign,  difpofe,  plead,  defend,  and  to  be  defended,  do,  permit, 
and  execute.  And  that  the  faid  Governor  and  Company  of  Adven-  Po^erf  o 
turers  of  England,  trading  into  Hudfon's  Bay,  and  their  Succeffors,  faid  Company 
may  have  a  common  Seal  to  ferve  for  all  the  Caufes  and  Bufineffes  '°  ^^^^  ^ 
of  them  and  their  Succeflbrs,  and  that  it  fhall  and  may  be  law-  and  to°break' 
ful  to  the  faid  Governor  and  Company,  and  their  Succeflbrs,  the  o^  alter  it. 
fame  Seal,  from  time  to  time,  at  their  Will  and  Pleafure,  to 
break,  change,  and  to  make  anew,  or  alter,  as  to  them  ffiall  feem 
expedient. 

anU  fatt&ecmori   We  will,    and  by  thefe  Prefents  for  Us,  Our 
Heirs  and  Succeffors,  We  do  ordairt,  that  there  fhall  be  from  hence- 
forth one  of  the  fame  Company  to  be  elefhed  and  appointed  in  fuch  a  Governor 
Form  as  hereafter  in  thefe  Prefents  is  expreffed,    which  fhall  be  ^"^^  Commit- 
call'd  The  Governor  of  the  faid  Company.  ^l'°  ^'  '^'^ 

3nQ  that  the  faid  Governor  and  Company  fhall  and  may  eledt  fe- 
ven  ot  their  Number  in  fuch  Form  as  hereafter  in  thefe  Prefents  is 

expreiled. 


(  174  ) 

cxprelTed,  which  fhall  be  called  The  Committee  of  the  faid  Compa- 
ny^ which  Committee  of  feven,    or  any  three  of  them,    together 
with  the  Governor  or  Deputy  Governor  of  the  faid  Company  for 
the  time  being,  fliall  have  the  Diredtion  of  the  Voyages  of  and  for 
the  faid  Company,    and  the  Provilion  of  the  Shipping  and  Mer- 
chandizes thereunto  belonging,    and  alfo  the  Sale  of  all  Merchan- 
dizes,   Goods,    and  other  Things  returned,  in  all  or  any  the  Voy- 
ages or  Ships  of  or  for  the  faid  Company,    and  the  managing  and 
handling  of  all  other  Bufinefs,    Affairs  and  Things,    belonging  to 
the  faid  Company.     And  We  will,  ordain  and  grant  by  thefe  Pre- 
fents  for  Us,  Our  Heirs  and  Succeffors,  unto  the  faid  Governor  and 
Company,    and  their  Succeffors,   that  they  the  faid  Governor  and 
Company,    and  their  Succeffors,    fhall  from  henceforth  for  ever  be 
ruled,  ordered  and  governed,  according  to  fuch  Manner  and  Form 
as  is  hereafter  in  thefe  Prefents  expreffed,  and  not  otherwife  :  And 
that  they  fhall  have,  hold,  retain  and  enjoy,  the  Grants,  Liberties, 
Privileges,    Jurifdidlions  and  Immunities,   only  hereafter  in  thefe 
Prefents  granted  and  expreffed,  and  no  other.     And  for  the  better 
Execution  of  Our  Will  and  Grant  in  this  Behalf,  We  have  affigned, 
nominated,    conftituted  arid  appointed,   by  thefe  Prefents  for  us. 
Our  Heirs  and  Succeffors,  and  We  do  affign,  nominate,  conftitute 
and  make,  our  faid  Coufin,  Prince  Rupert,  to  be  the  firfl:  and  pre- 
fent  Governor  of  the  faid  Company,    and  to  continue  in  the  faid 
Office  from  the  Date  of  thefe  Prefents  until  the  loth  November  then 
tiince ;?«/«/,  next  following,    if  he,    the  faid  Prince  Rupert,    fhall  fo  long  live, 
the  firft  Go-    ^j^^  jCq  wntA  a  new  Governor  be  chofen  by  the  faid  Company  in 
continue  to     Form  hereafter  expreffed.     And  alfo  We  have  affigned,  nominated 
the  lothiVo-  and  appointed,   and  by  thefe  Prefents  for  Us,   Our  Heirs  and  Suc- 
TheNamer'  ceffors.  We  do  affign,  nominate  and  conftitute,    the  faid  Sir  John 
ofthcf5i-ft      Robinfui,  Sir  Robert  Vyner,    Sir  Reter  Colleton,     Sir  James  Hayes, 
Committee,    Jqj^jj  Kirke,  Frctjjcis  Millington,  and  John  Rortman,  to  be  the  fe- 
thefiidioth  ven  firft  and  prefent  Committees  of  the  faid  Company,    from  the 
o'i^ovcmber,  Yy.^HQ  of.  thcfc  Prcfcuts  Until  the  iaid  loth  of  November  \}c\&n -oMo 
'  '°'  next  foUov/ing,   and  fo  until  new  Committees  fliall  be  chofen  in 

Form  hereafter  expreffed. 

Sun  fattibEC,  We  will  and  grant  by  thefe  Prefents,  for  Us,  Our 

Heirs  and  Succeffors,  unto  the  fiid  Governor  and  their  Succeffors, 

that.it  fhall  and  may  be  lawful  to  and  for  the  faid  Governor  and 

Company  for  the  Time  being,  or  the  greater  Part  of  them  prefent 

2  at 


f  175  ) 

at  any  publick  Aflembly   commonly  called.  The  Court  General  to 
be  ko'ldenfor  the  fat  d  Company^  the  Governor  of  the  faid  Company 
being  always  one,  from  time  to  time  to  eledl,  nominate  and  ap-  power  to  c- 
point  one  of  tlie  faid  Company  to  be  Deputy  to  the  faid  Gover-  '^fi  a  Deputy 
nor;  which  Deputy  fliall  take  a  corporal  Oath,  before  the  Gover-    °^^"'°'- 
nor  and  three  more  of  the  Committee  of  the  faid  Company  for  the 
Time  being,  well,  truly,  and  faithfully   to  execute  his  faid  Office 
of  Deputy  to  the  Governor  of  the  faid  Company,    and  after  his 
Oath  fo  taken,  fhall  and  may  from  time  to  time,  in  the   Abfence 
of  the  fiid  Governor,  exercife  and  execute  the  Office  of  Gover- 
nor of  the  faid  Company,  in  fuch  Sort  as  the  faid  Governor  ought 
to  do. 

9tHl  fartljet,  We  win  and  grant  by  thefe  Prefents,  for  Us,  Our 
Heirs  and  Succeffors,  unto  the  faid  Governor  and  Company  of  Ad- 
venturers of  England  trading  into  Hudfon's  Bay,  and  their   Succef- 
fors, that  they,  or  the  greater  Part  of  them,  whereof  the  Gover- p.,  o.      .^ 
nor  for  the  Time  being,  or  his  Deputy  to   be  one,  from  time  to  future  Gover- 
time,  and  at  all  Times  hereafter,  fhall   and  may   have  Authority  "°''  ^°  ^^  ^^' 
and  Power,  yearly  and  every  Year,  between  the  firfl  and  laft  Day  and  laft  Days 
of  November,  to  aflemble  and  meet  together  in  fome  convenient  of  Non.  ember 
Place,  to  be  appointed  from  time  to  time  by  the  Governor,  or  in  '^'^^^'^• 
his  Abfence  by  the   Deputy  of  the  faid  Governor,    and  the  faid 
Company  for  the  Time  being,  and  the  greater  Part  of  them  which 
then  fliall  happen  to  be  prefent,  whereof  the  Governor  of  the  faid  Manner  of 
Company,  or  his  Deputy  for  the  Time  being  to  be  one,  to  eledl  Eleftion. 
and  nominate  one  of  the  faid  Company,  which  fhall  be  Governor 
of  the  faid  Company  for  one  whole  Year,   then  next  following, 
which  Perfon  being  fo  eleded  and  nominated  to  be  Governor   of 
the  faid  Compan)',  as  is  aforefaid,  before    he  be  admitted  to  the 
Execution  of  faid  Office,  fliall  take  a  corporal  Oath  before  the  laft 
Governor,  being  his  PredecefTor  or  his  Deputy,  and  any  three  or 
more  of  the  Committee  of  the  faid  Company  for  the   Time  be- 
ing, that  he  fhall  from  time  to  time,  well  and  truly  execute  the 
Office  of  Governor  of  the  faid  Company,  in  all  Things  concern- 
ing the  fame  ;  and  that  immediately  after  the  fame  Oath  fo  taken, 
he  fhall  and  may  execute  and  ufe  the  faid  Office  of  Governor  of 
the  faid  Company,  for  one  whole  Year  from  thence  next  following. 

9nO  (it  liftC  S>0?t,  We  will  and  grant,  That  as  well  every  one 
of  the  above  named  to  be  of  the  faid  Company  or  Fellowfhip, 

as 


(  176  ) 

Each  Mem-    as  all  Others  hereafter  to  be  admitted,  or  free  of  the  faid  Company, 
bcr  of  the      ^   jj  J  ]        corporal  Oath  before  the  Governor  of  the  faid  Compa- 
take  ;in  Oath  ny,  or  his  Deputy  for  the  Tune  being,  to  luch  httetl  as  by  the 
befcietheGo-f^jj  Govemor  and  Company,  or  the  greater  Part  of  them,  in  a- 
Deputy.  ^  "^  ny  publick  Court  to  be  held  for  the  faid   Company,  fliall  be   in 
reasonable  and  legal  Manner  fet  down  and  devifed,    before  they 
fliall  be  allowed  or  admitted  to  trade  or  traffick  as  a  Freeman  of 
the  faid   Company.     SUC  fartljec.  We  will  and    grant  by  thefe 
Prefents,  for  Us,  Our  Heirs  and  Succeflbrs,  unto  the  faid  Gover- 
nor and  Company,  and  their  SuccefTors,  That  the  faid  Governor, 
Sw^commit-  ^^  Deputy  Governor,  and  the  refl  of  the  faid  Company,  and  their 
tee  between    Succcflors  for  the  Time  being,  or  the  greater  Part  of  them,  where- 
thefirrtand     of  the  Governor  or  Deputy  Governor,  fi'om  time   to  time,  to  be 
Ni>-vemil°     one,  fliall  and  may  from  time  to  time,  and  at  all  Times  hereaf- 
yeaiiy.  ter,  have  Power  and  Authority  yearly,  and  every  Year,  between 

the  firft  and  laft  Day  of  November,  to  aifemble  and  meet  together 
in  fome  convenient  Place,  from  time  to  time  to  be  appointed  by 
the  faid  Governor,  or  in  his  Abfence  by  his  Deputy  ;  and  that  they 
being  fo  aflembled,  it  fliall  and  may  be  lawful  to  and  for  the  faid 
Governor  and  his  Deputy,  and  the  Company  for  the  time  being, 
or  the  greater  Part  of  them,  which  then  fhall  happen  to  be  prefent, 
whereof  the  Governor  of  the  faid  Company,  or  his  Deputy  for 
the  Time  being  to  be  one,  to  eledt  and  nominate  {t^tn  of  the  faid 
Company,  which  fliall  be  a  Committee  of  the  faid  Company,  a$ 
aforefaid,  before  they  be  admitted  to  the  Execution  of  their  Of- 
fice, fliall  take  a  corporal  Oath,  before  the  Governor  or  his  Depu- 
ty, and  any  three  or  more  of  the  faid  Committee  of  the  faid  Com- 
pany, being  the  laft  Predeceflbrs,  that  they,  and  every  of  them, 
fliall  well  and  faithfully  perform  their  faid  Office  of  Committees 
in  all  Things  concerning  the  fame,  and  that  immediately  after 
the  faid  Oath  fo  taken,  they  fliall  and  may  execute  and  ufe  their 
laid  Office  of  Committees  of  the  faid  Company,  for  one  whole 
Year  from  thence  next  following. 

9nti  mO^eOUer,  Our  Will  and  Pleafure  is,  and  by  thefe  Prefents, 
for  Us,  Our  Heirs  and  Succeflbrs,  We  do  grant  unto  the  faid  Go- 
vernor ancl  Company,  and  their  Succeflbrs,  that  when,  and  as  of- 
ten as  it  fliall  happen,  the  Governor  or  Deputy  Governor  of  the 
faid  Company  for  the  Time  being,  at  any  Time  within  one  Year 
after  that  lie  fliall  be  nominated,  eleded,  and  fworn  to  the  Office 

of 


{  T^77  ) 

of  the  Governor  of  the  faid  Company,  as  is  aforefaid,  to  die  or  to 
be  removed  from  faid  Office,  which  Governor  or  Deputy  Gover-  P^^er  to  re- 
nor  not  demeaning  himfelf  well  in  his  faid  Office,  We  will  to  be  ™ernor  o!' 
removeable  at  the  Pleafure  of  the  reft  of  the  faid   Company,    or  Deputy  Go- 
the  greater  Part  of  them  which  fliall  be   preient  at  their  publick  thd"  YM?be 
AfTemblies,  commonly  called.  Their  General  Courts  holden  for  the  expired. 
faid  Company,  that  then  it  fhall,  and  fo  often  may  be,   lawful  to 
and  for  the  Refidue  of  the  faid  Company   for  the  Time  being, 
or  the  greater  Part  of  them,  within  a  convenient  Time,  after  the 
Death  or  Removing  of  any  fuch  Governor,  or  Deputy  Governor, 
to  aflemble  themfelves  in  fuch  convenient  Place  as  they  ffiall  think, 
fit,  for  the  Election  of  the  Governor  or  Deputy  Governor  of  faid  ^^^  ^[^^ 
Company  ;  and  that  the  faid  Company  or  the  greater  Part  of  them,  thers  in  their 
being  then  and  there  prefent,  fhall  and  may,  then  and  there,  be-  Room  for  the 
fore  their  Departure  from  the  faid  Place,  eled:  and  nominate  one  that  Year. 
other  of  the  faid  Company,  to  be  Governor  or  Deputy  Governor 
for  the  faid  Company,  in  the  Place  or  Stead  of  him  that  fo  died 
or  was  removed  ;  which  Perfon  being  fo   elei5ted  and  nominated 
to  the  Office  of  Governor  or  Deputy  Governor  of  the  faid  Com- 
pany, fhall  have  and  exercife  the  faid  Office^  for  and  during   the 
Refidue  of  the  faid  Year,  taking  firfl  a  corporal  Oath,  as  is  afore- 
faid, for  the  due  Execution  thereof ;  and  this  to  be  done  from  time 
to  time,  fo  often  as  the  Cafe  fhall  fo  require. 

3nD  alfOj  Our  Will  and  Pleafure  is,  and  by  thefe  Prefents,  for 
Us,  Our  Heirs  and  SuccefTors,  We  do  grant  unto  the  faid  Gover- 
nor and  Company,  that  when,    and  as  often  as  it  fhall  happen, 
any  Perfon  or  Perfons  of  the  Committee  of  the  faid  Company  for 
the  Time  being,  at  any  Time  within  one  Year  next  after  that  they 
or  any  of  them  fhall  be  nominated,  elefted  and  fworn  to  the  Of- 
fice of  Committee  of  the  faid  Company  as   is  aforefaid,  to  die  or 
to  be  removed  from  the  faid   Office,  which  Committee   not  de-  p^^^^  ^j^^  ^^ 
meaning  themfelves  well  in  their  fiid  Office,  We  will,  to  be  re-  remove  any 
moveable  at  the  Pleafure  of  the   faid   Governor    and  Company,  Member  of 
or  the  greater  Part  of  them,  whereof  the   Governor  of  the  faid  ^ee. 
Company  for  the  Time  being,  or  his  Deputy,  to  be  one  ;  that 
then,  and  fo  often,   it  fhall  and  may  be  lawful  to  and  for  the  faid 
Governor,  and  the  refl  of  the  Company  for  the  Time  being,    or 
tl^e  greater  Part  of  them,  whereof  the  Governor  for  the  Time  be- 
ing, or  his   Deputy,  to  be  one,    within   convenient  Time  after 

A  a  the 


(  178  ) 


And  eleft  a- 
nother  in  his 
Room,  and 
the  like  alfo 
in  cafe  of 
Death, 


The  Grant  of 
the  Trade. 


And  Territo- 
ries to  the 
faid  Compa- 
ny, with  the 
Royalties  of 
Fifhing,  is'c. 


Mines  and 
Minerals. 

The  Planta- 
tion to  be 
called  Ru- 
pert^ %  Land. 


the  Death  or  removing  of  any  of  the  faid  Committees,  to  aflemble 
themfelves  in  fuch  convenient  Place  as  is  or  lliall  be  ufual  and  ac- 
cuftomed  for  the  Election  of  the  Governor  of  the  fliid  Company, 
ox  where  elfe  the  Governor  of  tliC  faid  Company  for  the  Time  be- 
ings or  his  Deputy,  lliall  appoint.  And  that  the  faid  Governor 
and  Company,  or  the  greater  Part  of  them,  whereof  the  Gover- 
nor for  the  Time  being,  or  his  Deputy,  to  be  one,  being  then 
and  there  prefent,  Ihall,  and  may,  then  and  there,  before  their 
Departure  from  the  faid  Place,  elect  and  nominate  one  or  more  of 
the  faid  Company,  in  the  Place  or  Stead  of  him  or  them  that  fo 
died,  or  was  or  were  fo  removed,  which  Perfon  or  Perfons  fo  no- 
minated and  elefted  to  the  Office  of  Committee  of  the  faid  Com- 
pany, fhall  have  and  exercife  the  faid  Office,  for  and  during  the 
Refidue  of  the  faid  Year,  taking  firfl  a  corporal  Oath  as  is  afore- 
faid,  for  the  due  Execution  thereof,  and  this  to  be  done  from  time 
to  time,  fo  often  as  the  Cafe  fliall  require. 

^IlB  to  the  End  the  faid  Governor  and  Company  of  Adventurers 
of  Englafid  trading  into  Hudfon's  Bay,  may  b^  encouraged  to  un- 
dertake, and  eifedtually  to  profecute  the  faid  Defign,  of  Our  more 
efpecial  Grace,  certain  Knowledge,  and  mere  Motion,  We  have 
given,  granted  and  confirmed,  and  by  thefe  Prefents,  for  Us,  Our 
Heirs  and  SuccefTors,  do  give,  grant,  and  confirm,  unto  the  faid 
Governor  and  Company,  and  their  SuccefTors,  the  fole  Trade  and 
Commerce  of  all  thofe  Seas,  Streights,  Bays,  Rivers,  Lakes,  Creeks 
and  Sounds,  in  whatfoever  Latitude  they  fhall  be,  that  ly  within  the 
Entrance  of  the  Streights  commonly  called  Hudfon's  Streights,  toge- 
ther with  all  the  Lands  and  Territories  upon  the  Countries,  Coafts 
and  Confines  of  the  Seas,  Bays,  Lakes,  Rivers,  Creeks  and  Sounds 
aforefaid,  that  are  not  already  adtually  pofifefTed  by  the  Subjefts  of 
any  other  Chriflian  Prince  or  State,  with  the  Fifliing  of  all  Sorts 
of  Fifli,  Whales,  Sturgeons,  and  all  other  Royal  Fiflies,  in  the 
Seas,  Bays,  Lilets,  and  Rivers  witliin  the  PremifTes,  and  the  Fifhi 
therein  taken,  together  with  the  Royalty  of  the  Sea  upon  the 
Coafts  within  the  Limits  aforefaid,  and  all  Mines  Royal,  as  well 
difcovered  as  not  difcovered,  of  Gold,  Silver,  Gems,  and  precious 
Stones,  to  be  found  or  difcovered  within  the  Territories,  Limits, 
and  Places  aforefaid,  and  that  the  Land  be  fi-om  henceforth  rec- 
kon'd  and  reputed  as  one  of  our  Plantations  or  Colonies  in  Atne- 
rica,  call'd  Rupert's   Land. 


(   179  ) 


SmU  fUttljeCi  We  do  by  thefe  Prefents,  for  Us,  Our  Heirs  and 
SuccefTors,  make,  create  and  conflitute,    the  faid  Governor  and  I''^^  ^"^^ 
Company  for  the  Time  being,  and  their  SuccefTors,  the  true  and  Lo"ds^  Propri- 
abfolute  Lords  and  Proprietors  of  the  fame  Territories,  Limits  and  et°rs  of  (aid 
Places  aforefiid,  and  of  all  other  the  PremifTes,  faving  always  the    ^"^' 
Faith,  Allegiance  and  Sovereign  Dominion  to  Us,  Our  Heirs  and 
SucceiTors,  for  the  fame  to  have,  hold,  poflefs  and  enjoy  the  faid 
Territories,  Limits  and  Places,  and  all  and  Angular  other  the  Pre- 
mifTes, hereby  granted  as  aforefaid,  with  their,  and  every  of  their 
Rights,  Members,  Jurifdidlions,  Prerogatives,  Royalties  and  Ap- 
purtenances whatfoever,  to  them  the  faid  Governor  and  Compa-  to  hold  the 
iiy,  and  their   SuccefTors  for  ever,  to  be  holden  of  Us,  Our  Heirs  fame  forever 
and  SuccefTors,  as  of  Our  Mannor  of  Ea^  Greenwich  in  the  Coun- 
ty of  Kent,  in  free  and  common  Soccage,  and  not  in  Capite  or  by 
Knight's  Service  ;  yielding  and  paying  yearly  to  Us,    C3ur   Heirs 
and  SuccefTors,  for  the  fame,  two  Elks   and  two  black  Beavers, 
whenfoever,  and  as  often  as  We,  Our  Heirs  and  SuccefTors,  fhall 
happen  to  enta:  into  the  faid  Countries,  Territories  and  Regions 
hereby  granted. 

3'ltl  fattl)et3  Our  Will  and  Pleafureis,  and   by  thefe  Prefents, 
for  Us,  Our  Heirs  and  SuccefTors,  We  do  grant  unto  the  faid  Go- 
vernor and  Company,  and  to  their  SuccefTors,  that  it  fhall  and  may 
be  lawful,  to  and  for  the  fixid  Governor  and  Company,  and  their 
SuccefTors,  from  time  to  time,  to  afTemble  themfelves,  for  or  about  powerforaf- 
any  the  Matters,  Caufes,  Affairs,   or  BufinefTes  of  the  faid  Trade,  fembiing  the 
in  any  Place  or  Places  for   the  fame  convenient,  within  our  Do-  '^''^  Compa- 
minions  or  elfewhere,  and  to  hold  Court  for  the  faid  Company, 
and  the  Affairs  thereof;  and  that  alfo,  it  fhall  and  may  be  lawftil 
to  and  for  them,  or  the  greater  Part  of  them,  being  fo  afTembled, 
and  that  fliall  then  and  there  be  prefent,  in  any  fuch  Place  or  Places, 
whereof  the  Governor  or  his  Deputy  for   the  Time  being  to  be 
one,  to  make,  ordain,  and  conflitute,  fuch,  and  ib  many  realbn- Who  may 
able  Laws,    Conflitutions,    Orders    and  Ordinances,    as  to  them,  "^■''^^  H^^'^ 
or  the  greater  Part  of  them  being  then  and  there  prefent,  fliall  feem  vcrnment 
necefTiryand  convenient  for  the  good  Government  of  the  laid  Com-  ;i^'^'<-'of",  and 
pany,    and  of  all    Governors  of  Colonies,    Forts  and   Plantations,  j'lalnation""'' 
Fadiors,   Matters,  Mariners,   and  other  Officers  employed  or  to  be  Siii]'<,  isc 
employed,  in  any  the  Territories  and  Lands  aforeliiid,  and  in  any 
of  their  Voyages  ;  and    for  the  better  Advancement   and  Conti- 

A  a  2  nuance 


(  i8o  ) 


The  faid 

Laws  being 
reafonable, 
and  not  re- 
pugnant to 
ihe  Laws  of 
this  Realm. 

Grant  of  all 
other  Trade 
which  they 
iBiall  find  from 
the  Piace  a- 
foref:ud. 


nuance  of  faid  Trade,  or  Traffick  and  Plantations,  and  the  fame 
Laws,  Conftitutions,  Orders  and  Ordinances  fo  made,  to  be  put 
in  IJfe  and  execute  accordingly,  and  at  their  Pleafure  to  revoke 
and  alter  the  fame,  or  any  of  them,  as  the  Occafion  fliall  require  : 
And  that  the  faid  Governor  and  Company,  fo  often  as  they  fhall 
make,  ordain,  or  eftablifh,  any  fuch  Laws,  Conftitutions,  Orders, 
and  Ordinances,  in  fuch  Form  as  aforefaid,  fhall  and  may  lawful- 
ly impofe,  ordain,  limit  and  provide,  fuch  Penalties  and  Punifh- 
ments  upon  all  Offenders,  contrary  to  fuch  Laws,  Conftitutions, 
Orders  and  Ordinances,  or  any  of  them,  as  to  the  faid  Governor 
and  Company  for  the  Time  being,  or  the  greater  Part  of  them, 
then  and  there  being  prefent,  the  faid  Governor  or  his  Deputy  be- 
ing always  one,  fhall  feem  neceflary  or  convenient  for  the  Obferva- 
tion  of  the  fame  Laws,  Conftitutions,  Orders  and  Ordinances ;  and 
the  fame  Fines  and  Amerciaments  fhall  and  may  by  their  (  fficers 
and  Servants,  from  time  to  time  to  be  appointed  for  that  Purpofe, 
levy,  take  and  have,  to  the  Ufe  of  the  faid  Governor  and  Compa- 
ny, and  their  SuccefTors,  without  the  Officers  and  Minifters  of  Us, 
Our  Heirs  and  SuccelTors,  and  without  any  Account  thereof  to  Us, 
Our  Heirs  and  SuccefTors,  to  be  made.  All  and  fingular  which 
Laws,  Conftitutions,  Orders  and  Ordinances,  fo  as  aforefaid  to  be 
made,  We  will  to  be  duly  obferved  and  kept  under  the  Pains  and  Pe- 
nalties therein  to  be  contained ;  fo  always  as  the  faid  Laws,  Conftitu- 
tions, Orders  and  Ordinances,  Fines  and  Amerciaments,  be  reafo- 
nable, and  not  contrary  or  repugnant,  but  as  near  as  may  be  agree- 
able to  the  Laws,  Statutes  or  Cuftoms,  of  this  Our  Realm. 

3UtI  fi^ttflCtmOJC)  of  our  ample  and  abundant  Grace,  certain 
Knowledge,  and  mere  Motion,  We  have  granted,  and  by  thefe 
Prefents  for  Us,  Our  Heirs  and  Succeffors,  do  grant  unto  the  faid 
Governor  and  Company,  and  their  SuccefTors,  that  they,  and  their 
SuccefTors,  and  their  Fadlors,  Servants  and  Agent',  for  them,  and 
on  their  Behalf,  and  not  otherwife,  fhatl  for  ever  hereafter  have, 
ufe  and  enjoy,  not  only  the  whole,  hitire,  and  only  Liberty  of  Tirade 
and  'Trajick,  and  the  whole,  intire,  and  only  Liberty,  Ufe  and 
Privilege,  of  Trading  and  TrafKck  to  and  from  the  Territories,  Li- 
mits and  Places,  aforefaid  ;  but  alfo  the  whole  and  intire  Trade 
and  Traffick  to  and  from  all  Havens,  Bays,  Creeks,  Rivers,  Lakes 
and  Seas,  into  which  they  fhall  find  Entrance  or  Faflage  by  Water 
or  Land  out  of  the  Territories,    Limits  and  Places,  aforefaid  j    atid 

to 


(  i8i   ) 

to  and  with  all  the  Natives  and  People,  Inhabitants,  or  which  iTiall 
inhabit  within  the  Territories,  Limits  and  Places  aforefaid  ;  and  to 
and  with  all  other  Nations  inhabiting  any  the  Coails  adjacent  to  the 
laid  Territories,  Limits  and  Places  aforefaid,  which  are  not  already 
pofTeffed  as  aforefaid,  or  whereof  the  fole  Liberty  or  Privilege  of 
Trade  and  Traffick  is  not  granted  to  any  other  of  Our  Subjedls. 

3nll  of  Our  farther  royal  Favour,    and  of  Our  more  efpecial  ^^  subjefts 
Grace,    certain  Knowledge,  and  mere  Motion,  have  granted,  and  of  HisMaje- 
by  thefc  Prefentsfor  Us,  Our  Heirs  and  Succeflbrs,  do  grant  to  the  |^the  faid''^^ 
faid  Governor  and  Company,  and  to  their  SuccefTors,  that  neither  Places  befides 
thefaid  Territories,  Limits  and  Places,  hereby  granted  as  aforefaid,  ^^'^  ^^^"^  ^'°™^ 
nor  any  Part  thereof,  nor  the  Iflands,  Havens,  Ports,  Cities,  Towns  ^""^" 
and  Places,    thereof,    or  therein  contained,    {hall  be  vifited,    fre- 
quented or  haunted,    by  any  of  the  Subjects  of  Us,    Our  Heirs  or 
Succeffors,  contrary  to  the  true  Meaning  of  thefe  Prefents,  and  by 
Virtue  of  Our  Prerogatives  Royal,  which  We  will  not  have  in  that 
Behalf  argued  or  brought  into  Queftion ;  We  flreightly  charge,  com- 
mand and  prohibit,  for  Us,  Our  Heirs  and  SucceiTors,  all  the  Sub- 
jed:s  of  Us,  Our  Heirs  and  Succeflbrs,  of  what  Degree  or  Quality 
foever  they  be,  that  none  of  them  diredtly  do  vifit,  haunt,  frequent 
or  trade,    traffick  or  adventure,    by  way  of  Merchandize,    into,    or 
from   any  the  faid  Territories,    Limits  or  Places,    hereby  granted, 
or  any,  or  either  of  them,  other  than  the  faid  Governor  and  Com- 
pany, and  fuch  particular  Perfons  as  now  be^  or  hereafter  fliall  be, 
of  that  Company,    their  Agents,   FaiSlors  and  Affigns,  unlefs  it  be 
by  the  Licence  and  Agreement  of  the  faid  Governor  and  Compa-  Without  their 
ny  in  Writing  firft  had  and  obtained,  under  their  common  Seal,   to  Leave,  under 
be  granted,  upon  Pain  that  every  fuch  Perfon  or  Perfons  that  lliall  mon-Sed! 
trade  and  traffick  into  or  from>any  of  the  Countries,  Territories  or 
Limits  aforefaid,  other  than  the  faid  Governor  and  Company,  and 
their  Succeflbrs,  Jhall  incur  our  Indignation,  and  the  Forfeiture,  and 
the  Lofs  of  the  faid  Goods,  Merchandizes,  and  other  Things  what-  t'^"of  fo^rdt' 
Ibever,    which  fo  fhall  be  brought  into  this  Realm  of  England,  or  ingrJi  Goods 
any  the  Dominions  of  the  fame-,    contrary  to  our  faid  Prohibition,  ^^^o^ght  from 
or  the  Purport  or  true  Meaning  of  thefe  Prefents,  or  which  the  faid  £ww"'°nd 
Governor  and  Company  fhall  find,    take  and  feize,  in  other  Places  airfuch  as  the 
out  of  our  Dominions,    where  the  faid  Company,    their  Agents,  ih°iTI,^zein 
Fadlors  or  Affigns,    fliall  trade,    traffick  or  inhabit,    by  Virtue  of  any  Parts  of 
thefe  Our  Letters  Patents,    as  alfo  the  Ship  and  Ships,   with  the  .'*'"^  ■''■*'^" 

Furniture 


(     l82    ) 

Furniture  thereof,    wherein  fuch  Goods,  Merchandizes,  and  other 

One  Half  to    Things,    fhall  be  brought  or  found,    the  one  Half  of  all  the  faid 

the  King,  the  Porfeiture  to  be  to  Us,    Our  Heirs  and  Succeffors,    and  the  other 

Coi^pany.      Half  thereof  by  thefe  Prefents  clearly  and  wholly  for  Us,    Our 

Heirs  and  Succv=flbrs,    give  and  grant  unto  the  faid  Governor  and 

Company,  and  their  Succeffors.  And  farther,  all  and  every  the  faid 

Offenders,  for  their  faid  Contempt,  to  fuffer  fuch  Punifhment  as  to 

Us,  Our  Heirs  and  Succeffors,  fhall  feem  meet  or  convenient,  aqd 

not  to  be  in  any  wife  delivered  until  they,  and  every  of  them,  fliatt 

become  bound  unto  the  faid  Governor  for  the  time  being  in  the 

Sum  of  One  Thoufand  Pounds  at  the  leaft,    at  no  time  then  after 

to  trade  and  traffick  into  any  of  the  faid  Places,     Seas,    Bays, 

Streights,  Ports,  Havens  or  Territories,  aforefaid,  contrary  to  Our 

exprefs  Commandment  in  that  Behalf  fet  down  and  publiflied. 

3tltl  factljCt,    of  Our  more    efpecial  Grace,    We  have  conde- 

fcended  and  granted,  and  by  thefe  Prefents  for  Us,  our  Heirs  and 

Succeffors,    do  grant  unto  the  faid  Governor  and  Company,    and 

their  Succeffors,  that  We,  Our  Heirs  and  Succeffors,  will  not  grant 

His  Mrjeay    Liberty,    Licence  or  Power,    to  any  Perfon  or  Perfons  whatfoever, 

liberty  o""' contrary  to  the  Tenor  of  thefe  our  Letters  Patents,   to  trade,  traf- 

Trade  to  any  gck  or  inhabit,  unto  or  upon  any  of  the  Territories,    Limits  or 

other.  Places,  afore  fpecified,   contrary  to  the  Meaning  of  thefe  Prefents, 

without  the  Confent  of  the  faid  Governor  and  Company,   or  the 

moft  part  of  them. 

3UtJ^  of  Our  more  abundant  Grace   and  Favour  to  the   faid 
Governor  and  Company,    We  do  hereby  declare  Our  Will  and 
Pleafure  to  be,  That  if  it  fhall  fo  happen,  that  any  of  the  Perfons 
free,  or  to  be  free  of  the  faid  Company  of  Adventurers  of  England 
trading  into  Hudjbn's  Bay,  who  Ihall,  before  the  going  forth  of  any 
Ship  or  Ships  appointed  for  a  Voyage,  or  otherwife,  promife  or  agree. 
Any  Perfons   by  Writing  under  his  or  their  Hands,    to  adventure  any  Sum  or 
haying  fub-     Sums  of  Mouey,  towards  the  furniflung  any  Provifion,  or  Mainte- 
in"Moneyr^  nancc  of  any  Voyage  or  Voyages,  fet  forth  or  to  be  fet  forth,  or 
fcff.  andfwl-  intended  or  meant  to  be  fet  forth,  by  the  laid  Governor  and  Com- 
ing thereo  .    p^j-^y^  ^^  ^]-^g  more  Part  of  them  prefent  at  any  pubiick  Affembly, 
commonly  called  T^he  General  Court,  flaall  not  within  the  Space  of 
May  after      twenty  Days   next  after  Warning  given  to  him  or  them,  by  the 
twenty  Days  faid  Governor  and  Company,  or  their  known  Officer  or  Minifter, 
Warning.       brjng  Jn  and  deliver  to  the  Treafurer  or  Treafurers  appointed  for 

the 


(   i83  ) 


the  Company,  fuch  Sums  of  Money  as  fliall  have  been  expreflec^ 
and  fet  down  in  Writing,  by  the  faid  Perfon  or  Perfons,  fubfcribed 
with  the  Name  of  faid  Adventurer  or  Adventurers,  that  then,  and 
v.t  all  Times  after,  it  (liall  and  may  be  lawful  to  and  for  the  faid 
Governor  and  Company,  or  the  more  Part  of  them  prefent,  where- 
of the  faid  Governor  or  his  Deputy  to  be  one,  at  any  of  their  Ge- 
neral Courts  or  General   Alfemblies,  to   remove  and  disfranchife  j^,j    ^^  j.^. 
him  or  them,  and  every  fuch  Perfon  or  Perfons  at  their  Wills  and  moved  and 
Fleafures,  and  he  or  they  fo  removed  and  disfranchifed,  not  to  be  f'"^''l"^r'^f'^ 
permitted  to  trade  into  the  Countries,  •  Territories,  or  Limits  afore- Company. 
faid,  or  any  Part  thereof,  nor  to  have  any  Adventure  or  Stock  go- 
ing or  remaining  with  or  among  the  fiid  Company,  without  fpe- 
cial  Licence  of  the  faid  Governor  and  Company,  or  the  more  Part 
of  them   prefent   at  any  General  Court,  iirft  had  and  obtained  in 
that  Behalf,  any  Thing  before  in  thefe  Prefents  to  the  contrary 
thereof  in  any  wife  notwithftanding. 

3llfl   Our  Will  and  Pleafure  is,   and  hereby  we  do  alfo  ordain. 
That  it  {hall  and  may  be  lawful,  to  and  for  the  faid  Governor  and 
Company,  or  the  greater  Part  of  them,  whereof  the  Governor  for 
the  Time  being,  or  his   Deputy  to  be  one,  to  admit  into,  and  be  They  may 
of  the  faid  Company,  all  fuch  Servants  or  Faftors,  of  or  for  the  admit  into  the 
faid  Company,  and  all  fuch  others,  as  to  them,  or  the  moft  Part  [^ek  Semns 
of  them  prefent,  at  any  Court  held  for  the  faid   Company,    the  and  Favors.' 
Governor  or  his  Deputy  being  one,  fhall   be   thought  fit  and  a- 
greeable  with  the  Orders  and  Ordinances  made  and  to  be  made  for 
the  Government  of  the  faid  Company. 

SnD  fattier.  Our  will  and  Pleafure  is,  and  by  thefe  Prefents, 
for  Us,  Our  Heirs  and  Succeflbrs,  We  do  grant  unto  the  faid  Go- 
vernor and  Company,  and  to  their  Succeflbrs,  that  it  fhall  and 
may  be  lawful  in  all   Eled:ions,  and  By-laws  to  be  made  by  the  i„  gn  gj^^.. 
General  Court  of  the  Adventurers  of  the  faid  Company,  that  eve-  tions  and  By- 
ry  Perfon  fhall  have  a  Number  of  Votes  according  to  his  Stock,,  ^j^^^'  T^''^ 
that  is  to  fay,  for   every  hundred   Pounds  by  him  fubfcribed  or  have  a  Vote 
brought  into  the  prefent  Stock,  one  Vote,  and  that  any  of  thofe  fo""  each  loo 
that  have  fubfcribed  lels  than  one  hundred  Pounds,  may  join  their  in  Adventure. 
refpetSive  Sums  to  make  one   hundred  Pounds,  and  to  have  one 
Vote  jointly  for  the  fame,  and  not  otherwife. 

SllD  fUttt)Ct:^  of  Our  efpecial  Grace,    certain  Knowledge,   and 

mere  Motion,  We  do  for  Us,  Our  Heirs  and  Succeflbrs,  grant  to 

z  and 


pojnt 
iiors  and  o- 
ther  Officers 
the  Power 
tliey  are  :o 
have. 


(    184  ) 

and  with  the  faid  Governor,  and  Company  of  Adventurers  of  Eng- 
y!lfore(iid  ^^"^  trading  into  Hudfon' s  Bay ,  that  all  Lands,  Territories,  Plan- 
to  be  under  '  tations,  Forts,  Fortifications,    Faftories,  or  Colonies,    where  the 
theimmedi-    f^j^j  Companies  Fa(5lories  or  Trade  are  or    fhall  be,  within  any 
inent  orfaid  the  Ports  or  Places  afore  limited,  fhall  be  immediately  and  from 
Comp.iny.      hcnceforth,  under  the  Power  and  Command  of  the  faid  Gover- 
pliluGwer-  "oi"  ^"'i  Company,  their  SuccelTors  and  Afligns ;  faving  the  Faith 
and  Allegiance  due  and  to  be  performed  to  Us,   Our   Heirs  and 
Succeffors  as  aforefaid  ;  and  that  the  faid  Governor  and  Company, 
fliall  have  Liberty,  full  Power  and  Authority,    to    appoint   and 
eftabliih  Governors,  and  all  other  Officers  to   govern   them,   and 
that  the  Governor  and  his  Council  of  the  feveral  and  refpedlive 
Places  where  the  faid    Company  fhall  have    Plantations,    Forts, 
Fadlories,  Colonies,  or  Places  of  Trade  within  any  the  Countries, 
Lands  or  Territories  hereby  granted,  may  have  Power  to  judge  all 
Perfons  belonging  to  the  faid  Governor  and  Company,    or    that 
fliall  live  under   them,  in  all  Caufes,  whether  Civil  or  Criminal, 
according  to  the  Laws  of  this  Kingdom,  and  to  execute  Juflice 
accordingly. 

3ltOj  in  Cafe  any  Crime  or  Mifdemeanor  fhall  be  committed 
in  any  of  the  faid  Company's  Plantations,  Forts,  Fadtories,  or 
Places  of  Trade  within  the  Limits  aforefaid,  where  Judicature  can- 
not be  executed  for  want  of  a  Governor  and  Council  there,  then 
in  fuch  Cafe  it  fhall  and  may  be  lawful  for  the  Chief  Fadtor  of 
that  Place,  and  his  Council,  to  tranfmit  the  Party,  together  with 
the  Offence,  to  fuch  other  Plantations,  Fadlory,  or  Fort,  where 
there  fhall  be  a  Governor  and  Council,  where  Juflice  may  be  exe- 
cuted, or  into  the  Kingdom  of  England,  as  fhall  be  thought  mofl 
convenient,  there  to  inflidl  fuch  Punifhment  as  the  Nature  of  the 
Offence  will  deferve. 

3nll  mO^COUec,  Our  Will  and  Pleafure  is,  and  by  thefe  Prefents, 
for  Us,  Our  Heirs  and  Succeffors,  We  do  give  and  grant  unto 
the  faid  Governor  and  Company,  and  their  Succeflbrs,  free  Liber- 
Liberty  to  ty  and  Licenfe,  in  cafe  they  conceive  it  neceflary  to  fend  cither 
w^rf^Am-°^  Ships  of  War,  Men  or  Ammunition,  into  any  their  Plantations, 
niuni'tion.^c.  Forts,  Fadtories,  or  Places  of  Trade  aforefaid,  for  the  Security 
^7fuch  Tr^de  ^"'^  Defence  of  the  fame,  and  to  choofe  Commanders  and  Officers 
and  Territo-  over  them,  and  to  give  them  Power  and  Authority,  by  Commif- 
ries.  fions    under  their  Common  Seal,   or  otherwife,    to  continue  or 

I  make 


(   i8s  ) 

make  Peace  or  War  with  any  Prince  or  People  whatfoevcr,  tha'^  ^'"^  '"•''^^ 


Pe  :ce  or  W  tr 


any 


are  not  Chriftians,  in  any  Places  where  the  faid  Company  fliaU  „'ij|^ 
have  any  Plantations,  Forts  or  Fa6tories,  or  adjacent  thereunto,  as  Pmicco'p. 
fhall  be  moft  for  the   Advantaee  and  Benefit   of  faid   Governor  f;'"'''' '"■',"" 

■->  I      tr  -1  Itiin-i,  and 

and   Company,  and  of  their  Trade  ;  and  alfo  to  right  and  recom-  rigiu  d.oi!!- 
penfe   themfelves  upon  the  Goods,  Eltate  or  People  of  thofe  Parts, ''';;."  'T'"  . 
by  whom  the  faid  Governor  and  Company  fliall  fuftain  any  Inju- a:id  Eftatcs, 
ly,  Lofs  or  Damage,  or  upon  any  other  People  v/hatfoever,  that  ■'"'^  ^^P^''"  -'."V 
fliall  any  Way,  contrary  to  the   Intent  of  thefe  Prefents,  interrupt,  ^'h"J<!vt'r*^ 
wrong  or  injure   them  in  their  faid  Trade,  within  the  faid  Places,  that  flnl)  m- 
Territories,  or  Limits,  granted  by  this  Charter.     And  that  it  fliall  '"'""'  °'' 
and  may  be  lawful  to  and  for  the  faid  Governor   and   Company,  in  the  faid 
and  their  Succeflbrs,  from  time  to  time,  and  at  all  Times  hence-  '"''^'^'^ ' 
forth,  to  ereft  and  build  fuch  Caftles,  Fortifications,   Forts,  Gari-  ereft  Fortr 
fons,  Colonies  or  Plantations,    Towns  or    Villages,  in  any   Parts  •'  nd  Garifou 
or  Places  within  the  Limits   and  Bounds   granted  before   in  thefe  ^ °*"''  *' " 
Prefents,  unto  the  faid  Governor  and  Company,  and  their  Succef- 
fors  from  time  to  time,  and  at  all  Times  from  henceforth,    to  e- 
Teft  and  build  fuch  Caftles,  Fortifications^  Forts,  Garifons,  Colo- 
nies, or  Plantations,  Towns  or  Villages,    in  any  Parts  or  Places 
within  the  Limits  and  Bounds   granted  before   in  thefe  Prefents, 
unto  the  faid  Governor  and  Company,  as  they  in  their  Difcretion 
fhall  think  fit  and  requifite,  and  for  the  Supply  of  fuch  as  fhall 
be   needful  and  convenient,  to  keep  and  be  in  the  fame,  to   fend 
out  of  this   Kingdom,  to  the  faid  Caftles,    Forts,    Fortifications,  fhifherln"^ 
Garifons,  Colonies,  Plantations,  Towns  or  Villages, .  all  Kinds  of  Kinds  of  Pro- 
Cloathing,  Provifion  of  Viduals,  Ammunition,    and   Implements  ^'''o".  ^^  'o 
necefTary  for  fuch  Purpofe,  paying  the  Duties  and  Cuftom  for  the  t^J^g  wiiKn^, 
fame,  as  alfo  to  tranfport  and  carry  over  fuch  Number   of  Men  as  they  fcii" 
being  willing  thereunto,  or  not  prohibited,  as  they  fhall  think  fit,  ''""^  '''■ 
and  alfo  to  govern  them  in  fuch  legal  and  reafonable  Manner  as 
the  faid  Governor  and  Company  fliall  think  beft,  and  to  inflidt 
Punifhment  for  Mifdemeanors,  or  impofe  fuch  Fines  upon  them 
for  Breach  of  their  Orders,  as  in  thefe  Prefents  are  formerly  ex- 
prefTed. 

lanU  fatt|)er.  Our  win  and  Pleafure  is,  and  by  thefe  Prefents, 
for  Us,  our  Heirs  and  SuccefTors,  We  do  grant  unto  the  faid 
Governor  and  Company,  and  their  SuccefTors,  full  Power  and 
lawful  Authority  to  feize  upon  the  Perfons  of  all  fuch  Englijh, 

B  b  or 


(  i86  ) 

Liberty  to j'iia^  m  ftHy  Other  Subjects,  which  fhall  fail  Into   Hudfon's  Bay,  or  in- 
^\^"£'^      habit  in  any  of  the  Countries,  Iflands  or  Territories  hereby  grant- 
Twithout  Li-   ed  to  the  faid  Governor  and  Company,  without  their  Leave  and 
cence)  trade   LJceuce  in  that  Behalf  firft  had  and   obtained,  or  that  fhall  con- 
faid"pam.'"   tenin  or  difobey  their  Orders,  and  fend  them  to  England ;    and 
The  Manner  that  all  and   every  Perfon   or  Perfons,    being  our  Subjects,  any 
**  kh^heif      ways  employed  by  the  fiid  Governor  and  Company,    within   any 
own  Servants,  the   Parts,  Places,  or  Limits  aforefaid,  fhall   be  liable  unto  and 
^'ff''d^^^'^'  fuffer  fuch  Punifhments  for  any  Offences  by  them  committed  in 
o  en  ing.       ^^^  p^^^^  aforefaid,  as  the  Prelident  and  Council  for  the  faid  Go- 
vernor and  Company  there  fhall  think  fit,  and  the  Merit  of  the 
Oifence  fhall  require,  as  aforefaid  ;  and  in  cafe  any  Perfon  or  Per- 
fons being  convidled  and  fentenced  by  the  Prefident  and  Council 
of  the  faid  Governor  and  Company,  in  the  Countries,  Lands,  or 
Limits  aforefaid,  their  Fadors  or  Agents  there,  for  any  Offence  by 
them  done,  fhall  appeal  from  the  fame  ;  and  then  and   in  fuch 
Cafe,    it  fliall  and  may  be  lawful   to  and  for  the  faid  Prefident 
and  Council,  Fadlors  or  Agents,  to  feize  upon  him  or  them,  and 
to  carry  him  or  them  home  Frlfoners  into  England,  to  the  faid 
Governor  and  Company,    there  to  receive  fuch  condign  Punifh- 
ment  as  his  Caufe  fhall  require,  and  the  Law  of  this  Nation  allow 
of;  and  for  the  better  Difcovery  of  Abufes  and  Injuries  to  be  done 
unto  the  faid  Governor  and  Company,  or  their  Succeffors,  by  any 
The  Compa-  Servant,  by  them  to   be  employed  in  the  faid  Voyages  and  Plan- 
ny  may  im-    ^ations,  it  fhall  and  may  be  lawful  to  and  for   the  faid  Governor 
gent^of"theirs  and  Company,    and  their  refpedive  Prefidents,    Chief  Agent  or 
inthofe  Parts,  Governor  in  the  Parts  aforefaid,  to  examine  upon  Oath  all  Factors, 
wimeffeTup-  Maflers,  Purfers,  Supercargoes,    Commanders  of  Caflles,    Forts, 
on  Oath ;  the  Fortification s.  Plantations  or  Colonies,  or  other  Perfons,  touching 
fame  not  be-  ^^  concerning  any  Matter  or  Thing,  in  which  by  Law  or  Ufage 
"^the Laws^of  an  Oath  may  be  adminiflred,  fo  as  the  faid  Oath,,  and  the  Mat- 
this  Realm,     jgj.   therein  contained,    be  not  repugnant,  but   agreeable   to  the 

Laws  of  this  Realm. 
All  Admirals,  SlllD,  We  do  hereby  flreightly  charge  and  Command  all  and  fiu- 
and  other  his  gular,  our  Admirals,  Vice- Admirals,  Jullices,  Mayors,  Sheriffs,  Con- 
ficersand^Sub-  ftables>  Bailiffs,  and  all  and  fxngular  other  our  Officers,  Minifters, 
jtfts  to  be  Liege  Men  and  Subjedls  whatfoever,  to  be  aiding,  favouring,  helping 
^i^"S  and     ^^^  affifling  to  the  faid  Governor  and  Company,  and  to  their 

Sue- 


(  i87  ) 

Succeflbrs,  and  to  their  Deputies,  Officers,  Faiftors,  Servants,  Af- 
fignecs  and  Minifters,  and  every  of  them,  in  executing  and  en- 
joying the  PremifTes,  as  well  on  Land  as  at  Sea,  from  time  to 
time,  v/hen  any  of  you  fhall  thereunto  be  required  ;  any  Statute, 
Ad,  Ordinance,  Provifo,  Proclamation,  or  Reftraint  heretofore 
made,  fet  forth,  ordained,  or  provided,  or  any  other  Matter, 
Caufe  or  Thing  whatfoever  to  the  contrary  in  any  wife  notwith- 
ftanding.  IN  WITNESS  whereof,  we  have  caufed  thefe  our 
Letters  to  be  made  Patents  }  Witnefs  Ourfelf  at  Weftminjler,  the 
fecond  Day  of  May^  in  the  two  and  twentieth  Year  of  Our 
Reign. 

By  Writ  of  Privy  Seal, 


Sign'd^ 


PIGOTT. 


B  b   2 


An 


(   i88  ) 


An  Abftra6l  of  Captain  Middletori's  Journal 
fent  from  the  Orkneys. 

Honourable  Sir, 

[INCE  my  laft,  which  I  fent  from  Churchill,  together  with 
a  Journal,  by  one  of  the  Hudfon's  Bay  Ships,  I  have  pro- 
ceeded on  the  Difcovery,  and  fhall  here  recapitulate  only 
what  is  mentioned  more  largely  in  the  Journal,  which  I 
fliall  fend  you  by  the  firft  Opportunity,  together  with  a  Draught  of 
the  Parts  difcovered. 

I  failed  from  Churchill  the  firft  Day  of  July,  being  the  firft  Spurt 
of  Wind  I  could  get  for  failing  out  of  the  Harbour,  and  continued 
failing  with  a  fair  Wind  till  the  third,  when  we  faw  an  Ifland,  the 
two  Extremities  bearing  N.  by  E.  and  E.  by  N.  lying  in  the  Lati- 
tude of  63°.  00'.  and  Longitude  from  the  Meridian  of  Churchill 
3°.  40'.  Eaft,  which  I  take  to  be 'the  fame  Fox  named  Brook  Cob- 
bam.  On  the  fifth  Day  I  faw  a  Head-land  on  the  North  Side  of 
the  Welcofne,  bearing  N.  W.  by  N.  diftant  7  or  8  Leagues,  in  the 
Latitude  of  63°.  20'.  and  Longitude  from  Churchill  4°.  00'.  Eaft. 
I  tried  the  Tides  feveral  times,  and  found  clofe  in  with  the  Land 
the  Tide  to  run  two  Miles  an  Hour,  from  the  N.  by  E.  which  I 
take  to  be  the  Flood,  and  by  the  Slacks  from  feveral  Trials  I  found 
a  W.  by  N.  Moon  made  High-water,  having  a  full  Moon  that 
Day.  On  the  eighth  Day  v/e  faw  the  North  Side  of  the  Welcome, 
with  a  great  deal  of  Ice  in  Shore.  I  tried  the  Tide,  and  found  it 
fet  E.  N.  E.  two  Fathom.  On  the  ninth,  continuing  my  Courfe, 
and  failing  through  much  Ice,  I  was  at  length  obliged  to  grapple 
to  a  large  Piece.  The  Tender  did  the  lame  to  keep  off  fi-om  the 
Shore,  the  Wind  blowing  us  right  on  upon  it.  I  tried  the  Tide 
firequentjy,  and  could  not  difcover  either  Flood  or  Ebb  by  my  cur- 
rent Lqgg.     Here  we  were  firft  jammed  up  with  Ice,  being  totally 

furrounde'd 


(  i89  ) 

furrounded  with  it  for  feveral  Miles,  and  the  Wind  fetting  it  right 
upon  us,  it  was  all  Ice  for  I'o  Leagues  to  windward  of  us,  and 
were  in  great  Danger  of  being  forced  afliore  ;  but  it  happily  falling 
calm,  after  we  had  lain  in  this  Condition  two  or  three  Days,  the 
Pieces  of  Ice  feparated,  or  made  fmall  Openings,  we  being  then 
within  two  Miles  of  the  Shore,  and  with  no  little  Difficulty  haul'd 
the  Ships  fi-om  one  Piece  to  another,  till  we  got  amongft  what  w^e 
call  failing  Ice,  that  is,  where  there  are  fuch  Intervals  of  Water, 
as  a  Ship  by  feveral  Turnings  and  Windings,  among  thefe  floating 
Rocks,  may  get  forwards  towards  the  intended  Courfe.  In  this 
Manner  we  continued  till  we  faw  a  fair  Cape  or  Head-land  to  the 
Northward  oi Whalebone  Potjit,  in  the  Latitude  of  65°.  jo'.  North, 
and  8°.  54'.  Eaft  from  Churchill;  this  I  named  after  my  worthy 
Friend  Cape  Dobbs.  I  had  very  good  Soundings  between  the  two 
Shores  of  the  Welcome,  having  46,  48,  and  49  Fathoms  Water. 
The  fame  time  that  I  faw  Cape  Dobbs  I  defcry'd  an  Opening  bear- 
ing N.  W.  from  us,  which,  according  to  my  Inftrudtions,  I  flood 
in  for  amongft  the  faihng  Ice.  It  was  juft  Flood  when  we  enter'd 
it,  the  Tide  running  very  ftrong,  which,  by  Obfervations  after- 
wards, I  found  to  run  5  or  6  Miles  an  Hour.  I  run  over  feme 
Rocks  on  the  North  Side  of  it  very  luckily,  being  iuft  High-wa- 
ter, and  anchored  in  about  34  Fathom  Water,  but  as  foon  as  the 
Tide  of  Ebb  was  made,  it  ran  fo  ftrong,  and  fuch  Quantities  and 
Bodies  of  Ice  came  down  upon  us,  that  we  were  obliged  to  fteer 
the  Ship  all  the  Time,  and  to  keep  all  Hands  upon  their  Guard 
with  Ice-poles  to  ftiove  off  the  Ice,  notwlthftanding  which,  it 
brought  our  Anchor  home,  and  taking  hold  again,  one  of  the 
Arms  of  it  was  broke  ofl'.  The  next  Day  I  fent  my  Lieutenant 
in  the  Boat  to  feek  out  fome  fecurer  Place  for  the  Ships,  it  be- 
ing impoffible  to  keep  long  afloat  where  we  were.  Some  JJJk'unai 
Savages  came  off"  to  us,  but  had  nothing  to  trade.  I  ufed  them  ci- 
villy, made  them  fome  Prefents,  and  difmifled  them.  As  foon  as 
I  got  the  Ships  fecured,  I  employed  all  my  Officers  and  Boats,  hav- 
ing myfelf  no  fmail  Share  in  the  Labour,  in  trying  the  Tides,  and 
difcovering  the  Nature  and  Courfe  of  this  Opening,  and  after  re- 
peated Trials  for  three  Weeks  fucceffively,  I  found  the  Flood  con- 
ftantly  to  come  from  the  Eaft  ward,  and  that  it  was  a  large  River 
we  were  got  into,  but  fo  full  of  Ice,  there  was  no  ftirring  the  Ships 
with  any  Probability  of  Safety  while  the  Ice  was  driving  up  and 
I  *  down 


190  ) 


down  with  the  ftrong  Tides.  Here  I  lay,  not  a  little  impatient  to 
get  out,  went  feveral  times  in  my  Boat  towards  the  Mouth  of  the 
River,  and  upon  a  Hill  that  overlooked  Part  of  the  Welcome,  faw 
that  Place  full  of  Ice  j  fo  that  I  found  there  was  no  Time  loft  by 
our  being  in  Security.  However  I  fent  my  Lieutenant  and  Mafter 
iii  the  eight  oar'd  Boat  to  look  out  for  a  Harbour  near  the  Mouth 
of  the  River,  but  they  found  none,  and  it  was  a  fmall  Miracle  that 
they  got  on  board  again,  for  they  were  fo  jamm'd  up  with  Ice, 
vvhicli,  driving  with  the  ftrong  Tides,  would  inevitably  have  ftove 
the  Boat  to  Pieces,  and  all  muft  have  perifhed,  had  it  not  been  for 
an  Opening  in  a  large  Piece  of  Ice,  into  which  they  got  the  Boat, 
and  with  it  drove  out  of  the  River  ;  but  when  the  Tide  flacked,  the 
Ice  opened  as  ufual,  and  then  they  rowed  over  to  the  North  Shore, 
fo  got  in  with  the  Flood.  I  feveral  times  fent  the  Indians  on  Shore 
to  fee  if  they  knew  any  thing  of  the  Land,  but  they  were  quite 
ignorant  of  it.  In  this  vexatious  Condition  I  continued  for  three 
Weeks,  refolving  to  get  out  the  firft  Opportunity  the  River  was 
any  thing  clear  of  Ice,  and  make  what  Difcoveries  I  could  by 
meeting  the  Tide  of  Flood.  This  River,  which  by  my  frequent 
Trials  of  the  Lands,  Soundings,  Tides,  &c.  I  was  able  to  take  a 
Draught  of,  I  named  the  River  Wager  after  the  right  honourable 
Sir  Charles  Wager,  &c. 

On  the  3d  of  Augiifi,  the  River  for  the  firft  Time  was  a  httle 
clear  of  Ice,  and  accordingly  failed  out  of  it  in  Purfuit  of  our  Dif- 
covery,  and  on  the  5th  by  Noon  got  into  the  Latitude  of  66°,  14'. 
We  had  then  got  into  a  new  Streight,  much  pefter'd  with  Ice, 
and  on  the  North  Side  of  which  we  faw  a  Cape  or  Head-land 
bearing  North.  We  had  deep  Water  and  very  ftrong  Tides  with- 
in four  or  five  Leagues  of  it.  I  nam'd  this  Head-land  Cape  Hope^ 
as  it  gave  us  all  great  Joy  and  Hopes  of  its  being  the  extreme 
North  Pait  of  America,  feeing  little  or  no  Land  to  the  Northward 
of  it.  We  turn'd  or  work'd  round  it  the  fame  Night,  and  got 
five  or  fix  Leagues  to  the  N.  by  W.  before  we  could  perceive  any 
otherwife  than  a  fair  and  wide  Opening  ;  but  about  Noon  the 
6th  Day,  having  got  into  the  Latitude  of  66°.  40',  found  we  were 
embay'd,  and  by  two  in  tl^e  Afternoon  could  not  go  above  three 
Leagues  farther,  and  having  tried  the  Tides  all  the  Forenoon, 
every  two  Hours  till  2  o'Clock  in  the  Afternoon,  found  neither 
Ebb  nor  Flood,  yet  deep  Water.     From  this  it  was   concluded, 

that 


(  191  ) 

that  we  had  overfhot  the  Streights  on  the  N.  E.  Shore  from  whence 
the  Flood  came,  and  as  there  was  no  proceeding  above  three  or 
four  Leagues  farther,  it  was  agreed  upon  by  all  to  return  back, 
and  fearch  narrowly  for  a  Streight  or  Opening  where  we  found 
the  ftrong  Tides.  On  the  7th,  after  we  were  confirm'd  the  Flood 
came  in  on  the  N.  E.  Side  from  the  E.  by  S.  I  went  on  Shore  in 
the  Boat,  and  found  it  flow'd  1 5  Foot  three  Days  after  the  Full, 
and  a  W.  by  S.  Moon  made  High  Water.  I  travelled  12  or  15 
Miles  from  Hill  to  Hill  in-land,  till  I  came  to  a  very  high  Moun- 
tain, from  whence  I  faw  a  Streight  or  Opening  the  Flood  came 
in  at,  and  the  Mountain  I  flood  upon  being  pretty  near  the  Middle 
of  this  Streight,  I  could  plainly  fee  both  Ends  of  it,  the  whole 
being  18  or  20  Leagues  long,  and  6  or  7  broad,  and  very  high 
Land  on  both  Sides  of  it  j  but  it  was  all  froze  fail  from  Side  to 
Side,  and  no  Appearance  of  its  clearing  this  Year,  and  near  the 
67th  Degree  of  Latitude,  and  no  anchoring  the  Ships,  being  very 
deep  Water  clofe  to  the  Shore,  and  much  large  Ice  driving  with 
the  Ebb  and  Flood,  and  but  little  Room  if  thick  Weather  iLould 
happen,  which  we  continually  expedl  in  thefe  Parts,  it  was  agreed 
upon  in  Council  to  make  the  beft  of  our  Way  out  of  this  dan- 
gerous narrow  Streight,  and  make  Obfervations  between  the  64th 
and  6 2d  Degree  of  Latitude.  The  frozen  Streight  I  take  to  ruri 
towards  that  Land  which  Bylot  nam'd  Cape  Comfort,  and  the 
Bay  where  Fox  has  nam'd  a  Place  Lord  Wejlon's  Portland.  It  is 
in  the  Latitude  of  66°.  40'.  and  Longitude  12°.  19'.  Eaft  from 
Chir  chill. 

Purfuant  to  the  Refolution  we  bore  away,  and  tried  the  Tides 
on  the  other  Side  of  the  Welcome^  founding  and  obferving  clofe 
in  Shore,  but  met  with  very  little  Encouragement.  On  the  nth 
of  Augiiji  I  once  more  faw  the  Ifland  of  Brook  CLham,  and  con- 
tinued trying  the  Tide,  ftill  finding  the  Flood  came  from  the 
Eaftward,  and  by  coaftlng  along  the  U^ekome,  was  certain  of  its 
being  the  Main-land,  tho'  there  are  feveral  fmall  Iflands  and  deep 
Bays,  and  faw  feveral  black  Whales  of  the  Whale-bone  Kind,  1 
work'd  off  and  on  by  Brook  Cobbam,  fent  the  two  Northern  In- 
dians on  Shore  upon  the  Ifland,  who,  at  their  Return,  gave  me  to 
underftand  it  was  not  far  from  their  Country,  and  defired  I  would 
let  them  go  home,  being  tir'd  of  the  Sea.  I  kept  them  with  Af- 
iurances  that  I  would  ad:  according  to  my  Promife  ;   and  finding 


(     192    ) 

no  Probability  of  a  Paffage,  in  two  or  three  Days  after  I  gave  them 
a  fmall  Boat  well  fitted  with  Sails  and  Oars,  the  Ufe  of  which 
they  had  been  taught,  and  loaded  it  with  Fire-arms^  Powder, 
•Shot,  Hatchets,  and  every  Thing  defirable  to  them.  They  took 
their  Leave  of  me,  and  I  fent  another  Boat  for  Water,  which  ac- 
companied them  on  Shore.  The  Southern  Indian^  who  was  Lin- 
guift  for  the  Northern  ones,  returned  with  the  Boat,  being  us'd 
to  the  EngliJ}}  Cuftoms  at  the  Fadtory,  and  defirous  of  feeing  Eng- 
latid,  being  a  willing,  handy  Man,  I  brought  him  with  me,  and 
the  fame  Evening,  which  was  the  1 5th  of  Auguji,  I  bore  away 
for  England^  thinking  to  have  tried  the  Tides  at  Carey's  Swan's 
Neft,  but  could  not  fetch  it.  On  the  20th  faw  Manfel's  Ifle.  On 
the  2  ift  Cape  Diggs  was  in  Sight.  On  the  26th  made  Cape  Refo- 
lution,  and  arrived  at  this  Place  the  1 5th  of  September.  Moft  of 
my  Men  are  fo  very  much  afflid:ed  with  the  Scurvy,  and  other  wife 
lick  and  diftemper'd,  that  I  mull  be  obliged  to  leave  Part  of  them 
behind  me,  and  only  wait  to  imprefs  Hands  to  carry  the  Ship 
fafe  to  London.  For  the  Particulars,  I  muft  refer  you  to  my  Jour- 
nal and  Draught,  this  Sheet  of  Paper  not  being  fufRcient  for  the 
particular  Accidents,  I  heartily  wilh  you  a  better  State  of  Health 
than  I  have  had  during  the  Voyage,  and  defire  you  will  conclude 

me 

Cairjlon  Harbour,  Tour  moji  obedient 

Ifles   of    Orkney ^  Humble  Servant, 

Sept.ijthy  1742.  Chrijiopher  Middlefon. 

P.  S.  The  greateft  Height  of  the  Tides  fi-om  the  Latitude  of 
65°.  00'.  N.  to  the  farthell  we  went,  did  not  exceed  16  Foot. 

Honble  Arthur  Dobbs,  Efq; 


Standard 


(  "^93  ) 


Standard  of  TRADE  carried  on  by  the  Hudfons 
Bay  Company  at  Albany  Forty  Moofe  River,  and  the 
Enji  Mah7j    as    it  ftood   in  the  Year  1733,    Beaver 


Skins  being  the  Standard. 

Note.  Tbaf  the  Standard  at  York  Fort  and  Churchill  is  much 
higher,  the  French  bei?ig  not  fo  near  thofe  Places,  and  therefore 
can't  interfere  with  the  Compajifs  Tirade  fo  much  as  they  do  at 
Albany  and  Moofe  River,  iiohere  they  underfell  the  Company^  and 
by  that  Means  carry  off  the  moji  valuable  Furs. 


N°.  of 
Articles. 

Goods  carried  to    1 
trade  with.         | 

Tlieir  Value  when  barter'd  with 
the  Indians. 

I 

Beads  k  Milk 

i.  Pound 

for 

I  Beaver 

2 

Ditto  coloured 

I  Ditto 

for 

3 

Kettles  Brafs 

I    Ditto 

for 

4 

Lead  Black 

I    Ditto 

for 

5 

Gun-Powder 

14^  Ditto 

for 

6 

Shot 

5    Ditto 

for 

7 

Sugar 

2    Ditto 

for 

8 

Tobacco  Brazil 

I    Ditto 

for 

9 

Ditto  Leaf 

il  Ditto 

for 

10 

Ditto  Roll 

1 4-  Ditto 

for 

1 1 

Thread 

I    Ditto 

for 

2 

12 

Vermillion 

1 4:  Ounce 

for 

I 

13 

Brandy 
Broad  Cloath 

I    Gallon 
I     Yard 

for 
for 

4 
2 

15,    ^ 

Blankets 

I 

for 

6 

16     ] 

Bays 

C 

I    Yard 
c 

for 

I 

17     I 

Duffels 


(  194  ) 


N'\  of 
Articles. 

Goods  carried  to 
trade  withi. 

Their  Value  when  barter'd  with 
the  Indians. 

17 

DufFels 

1 

Yard 

for 

1 4-  Beaver 

18 

Flannel 

I 

Yard 

for 

i4- 

19 

Gartering 

2 

Yards 

for 

20 

Awl  Blades 

12 

for 

21 

Buttons 

12 

Doz 

for 

22 

Breeches 

I 

Pair 

for 

3 

23 

Combs 

2 

for 

24 
25 

Egg  Boxes 
Feathers  red 

4 
2 

for 
for 

26 

Fiih-Hooks 

20 

for 

27 

Fire  Steels 

4 

for 

28 

Files 

1 

for 

29 

Flints 

20 

for 

30 

Guns 

1 

for  10  II 

12 

31 

Piftols 

I 

for 

4 

32 

Gun-Worms 

I 

for 

4 

33 

Gloves  Tarn 

I 

for 

34 
35 
36 
37 
38 
39 

Gogles 

Handkerchiefs 
Hats  laced 
Hatchets 
Hawk  Bells 
Ice  Chizils 

2 
I 
I 
2 

8 
2 

for 
for 
for 
for 
for 
for 

4 

40 

Knives 

8 

for 

41 

Looking-Glaffes       2 

for 

42 

Mocotagaus 

2 

for 

43     Needles 


(  I9S  ) 


N^of 
Articles. 

Goods  carried  to 
trade  with. 

Their  Value  when  barter'd  vnth 
the  Indians. 

43 

Needles 

10  CL.  i  S. 
^^&Glov 

^}for 

I     Beaver 

44 

Net-Lines 

2 

for 

45 

Powder-Horns 

2 

for 

46 
47 

Plain  Rings 
Stone  Ditto 

6 

3 

for 
for 

48 

Runlets 

14.       for  I  or 

»-' 

49 

50 

Scrapers 
Sword  Blades 

2 
2 

for 
for 

51 

52 

Spoons 
Shirts 

4              for 

53 

Shoes 

I  Pair 

for 

54 

Stockings 

1  Pair 

for 

It 

5S 
56 

Safhes  worjied 
Thimbles 

2 

6 

for 
for 

57 

Tobacco  Boxes 

2 

for 

58 

Tongs 

2  Pair 

for 

59 

Trunks 

I 

for 

2 

60 

Twine 

I  Skane 

for 

I 

C    C    2 


Beaver 


(  196  ) 

Beaver  teing  the  chief  Commodity  received  in  Trade  in 
thefe  Parts,  it  is  made  the  Standard  to  rate  all  the 
Furs  and  other  Goods  by. 


3 

Martin  Skins          as 

I 

Beaver 

2 
I 
I 
I 

Otters 

Queequeehatch 

Fox 

Cat 

I 

14- 

1 

2 

or  perhaps  2 
unlefs  ext.  then  z 

I 

Moofe 

2 

2 

Dear  Skins 

I 

I 

Wolf 

I 

I 

Pound  Caftorum 

I 

lO 

Pound  Feathers 

3 

8 

Pair  Moofe  Hoofs 

I 

4 
I 

Fathom  Netting 
Black  Bear 

I 
2 

I 

Cub 

I 

I 

Weejack 

I 

The 


(  ^97  ) 

The  Furs  and  other  Commodities  received  in  this  Trade 
in  the  Year  173J  at  Albany  Fort,  Moofe  River,  and 
the  Eafi  Main. 


This  Account  ta- 
ken out  of  Cap- 
tain Middletori's^ 
Book  in  April 
174.1. 


■  8663 
1 95 1 
2292 
1060 

93 
98 

9 
9 

70 

1519T 
136 

87 
10 

15997T 


io226ttV  dedu<^ed  for  the  Value  of  the  Goods 
barter'd  at  Standard. 


w. 

lole  Parchment  Beaver  Skins 

in 

3902  half  ditto. 

in 

Coat  Beaver. 

in 

535  Catts. 

in 

62  Queequeehatches. 

in 

49  Bears/ 

in 

9  Cubbs. 

in 

9  Wolfs. 

in 

66  Foxes. 

in 

4559  Martins. 

in 

272  Otters. 

in 

870  lb.  Feathers. 

m 

iQ.Weejacks._ 

Beaver  Skins         57704-54  gain'd  on  that  Year's  Trade, 


Beaver 


(  ipS  ) 

Beaver  and  other  Skins  fold  at  the  Hudfons  Bay  Com- 
pany's Sale  the  20th  of  December y  1740. 


Parchment  Beaver  on  an  Average  fold  for 

s. 
6 

2 

per  Pound. 

Coat  Beaver         _         -         -         -         - 

5 

3 

Cub  Ditto         -         ,         -         -         - 

6 

2 

Martins             -                -             .             - 

7 

10 

each. 

Otters             -             >             -             - 

6 

0 

Fifhers               .                  _                  _ 

8 

6 

Bears 

16 

0 

Cats                  -                  -                  - 

23 

0 

Foxes  as  in  Goodnefs  from  6  s.  2d.  to 

10 

8 

Wolfs  on  an  Average         -          -          - 

15 

0 

Wolverins             ..                 ^                 m 

8 

0 

Black  Bears                 -             - 

17 

6 

Woodfhocks             ..             ,              - 

8 

2 

Elks             _             -             ,             - 

7 

0 

Deer             -             - 

2 

2 

Bed  Feathers           -             -             - 

I 

I 

per  Pound. 

Caftorum 

Whalefins 

A  Com- 


(  199  ) 

A   Computation  of  the  Quantity  of  Skins  ibid  at  the 
Hudfons  Bay  Company's  Sale  in  December  1740. 

^tantlty 
Lots,     in  a  Lot. 

Skins. 

5460  Coat  Beaver  (in  Time)                 2i  260    fold  at  5^3  d.  per  VoMni. 

12320  Parchment  ditto  (in  Time              44  280     -  -  -    6  s,  2.  d.  ditto. 

3690  Cubbs         -  -         -  9     410 6  s.   2  d.  ditto. 

3640  Damd  and  Stage  Parcht  Beaver     J3  280     about    ^  s.  2  d.  ditto. 

1760  Damag'd  Cub  Beaver         -             4  440     -     -     4.  s.  g  d.   ditto. 

16300  Martins  -  -         "       55     300 y  s.  10  d.  each  Skin, 

2360  Damag'd  and  Stage  Martin              8  320     -     -     4  ^.           ditto. 

560  Otters             -                 -         -      3  .     -  6  s.   -^  d.  ditto. 

50  Ditto  in  Coats             -             --  -         --3^.  2^.  ditto. 

730  Cats                 -                 -               7  -     -    23  X.           ditto. 

300  Foxes                 <-                 -            6  -     -     -     S  s.  ^  d.  ditto. 

210  Ditto         -                 -             --  -   -     -       S  s,   S  d.  ditto. 

630  Wolverins             -             -             6  ---8^.            ditto. 

220  Stage  ditto             -                 -         -  ---        3X.  8^.  ditto. 

330  Black  Bears  -  -  5 ly  s.  6  d.  ditto. 

720  Wolves  (in  Time)         -         -        8  -    -    -     15  s.           ditto. 

40  Woodfliocks                 -             --  ---        8  s.  2  d.  ditto. 

250  Deer                 -                 -              2  -     -     -       2   s.  2  d.  ditto. 

30  Elks             -                                  -  -     -      7  J.           ditto. 


49600     Skins. 

2360  Pounds  Bed  Feathers. 

160  Caftorum. 

610  Whale  Fins. 

120  Gallons  Whale  Oil. 

N.  B.  Compute  one  Skin  with  another  on  an  Average,  which  will  be 
near  the  Truth,  confidering  the  Beaver  which  is  fold  by  the  Pound, 
and  weighs  ii  to  2  Pound  each  Skin,  and  it  will  make  the  Amount  of 

■  this  Sale  to  be  24800  /.  which  is  only  for  one  Sale,  the  Company  having 
two  every  Year,  three  Fifths  of  the  Beavers  being  referved  for  the  fe- 
coikI  Sale,  but  no  other  Skins, 

An 


(    200    ) 

Ail  Account  of  the  Hudfons  Bay  Company's  Sale,  com- 
^,^enced  17th  November  1 743. 


5980  Coat  Beaver   in   23    Lots,  260  Skins  "j    /.      ,;*. 
each,  weighing  upon  an  Average  450  lb.  J»24i5  00 
per  Lot,  and  felling  at  4  j.  8  ^.  1035c 


;6o  Skins  "J  /. 
ge  450  lb.  U4 
,10350  Ib.J 

780  damag'd  and  Stage  ditto  in  3  Lots  2601 
Skins,  Weight  1 3  50,  at  4  j.  J      ^ 

9520  Parchment  Beaver   in  34  Lots,  280  ~| 

Skins,   each  Weight    li. /i^r  Skin,  is  \     4165  oo 
14280  lb J 

4070  Cub  Beaver  in  11  Lots  370   Skins  each]      .       r> 
Weight  10  Oz. /^r  Skin,  is  2543     6s.\   ' 

4760  damag'd  and  Stage  Parchment  in  1 7 


damag  d  and  btage  rarchment  in  1 7  "i 

Lots,  .280   Skins  each.    Weight  172  V   1918   17 

per  Skin,  is  7140  ^  s.  y  d.  J 

} 


1640  damag'd   and  Stage  Cub  in  4  Lots, 

4 1  o  Skins  each.  Weight   i  o  Oz.  per  ^     248 
Skin,  is  1024 


Skins.  Lots.  each. 
r  5670  Martins  in  2 1  270 
\  1500  ditto  6     250 

•^7      j  3640  ditto  14     260 

LI 560  ditto  6     260 

2360  damag'd  &  Stage  ditto  3 
590  Otters 
850  Cats 

260  ditto  dam.  &  Stage 
320  Foxes 
600  Wolverins 
170  ditto  damag'd 
320  Black  Bears 
1580  Wolves 
2 


(    2.01    ) 


s. 


I. 

S. 

123 

22 

15 

6 

I 

10 
16 

270  ditto  damaged  and  Stags         -         92 
40  Woodfliock  Skins  -  42- 

lo  Mink  Skins  "  "  3 

5  Raccoon  Skins         -  -         3     4 

1 20  Squirrel  Skins  -  -  4         -  a 

130  Elk 

440  Deer 

3  1 70  Bed  Feathers, 

2  20  ditto  in  a  Tick. 

140  Caftorum, 

470  Whale-fins. 

23  Cafks  Whale  Oil  and  Blubber. 

8  lb,  Wefaguipaka. 

The  Company  referve  three  Fifths  of  the  whole  1 

Quantity  of  Beaver  for  their  March  Sale,    which,?*  14670 
after  the  Rate  they  fold  at,  this  Sale  amounts  to      j 

The  Quantities  of  Skins  and  Furs  imported  by  the 
French  into  the  Port  of  Rochelle  from  Canada  for  the 
Year  1745. 

1 5000  Old  Coat  Beaver. 
112080  Parchment  Beaver. 
10623  Large  Bears. 
5889  Small  Bears. 
1 1 0000  Raccoons. 
30325  Martins. 
12428  Otters  and  Fifl:iers. 
1700  Minks. 
1220  Fine  Cats. 
1267  Wolves. 
92  Wolverins. 
10280  Grey  Foxes  and  Cats. 
451  Red  Foxes, 

3^355 

D  d  An 


(    202    ) 


An  Account  fliewing  the  Value  of  the  Goods  exported 
to  Hudfons  Bay  in  the  underwritten  Years. 


■  From  Chriftmas   Year. 

/. 

s. 

d. 

Year. 

/.  s.     d. 

i6g^  to  Chrijlffm   1699 

943 

J5 

7 

1719 

1731  II  9 

1700 

1720 

1897  9  9 

1701 

1658 

9 

8 

1721 

1788  4  4 

1702 

972 

16 

3 

1722 

2449  15  II 

1703 

1723 

2305  2  7 

1704 

1724 

1497  18  7 

'7^5 

2021 

10 

1725 

2410  17  I 

1706 

958 

6 

2 

1726 

1599  15  ^i 

1707 

1727 

1756  2 

1708 

2025 

3 

6 

1728 

257J  13  4 

1709 

1729 

1941  19  7 

1710 

ii6q 

4 

3 

1730 

2315  3  9 

1711 

760 

2 

173 1 

2876  I  2 

1712 

745 

14 

I 

1732 

3350  12  3 

1713 

893 

14 

3 

1733 

3110  9  9 

1714 

2349 

7 

9 

1734 

3930  19  9 

^7^5 

1402 

18 

8 

1735 

2232  17  11 

1716 

1259 

17 

3 

1736 

1549  16  10 

1717 

3191 

2 

9 

1737 

4124  18  3 

1718 

1847 

18 

7 

1738 

3879  17  II 

A  VOCA- 


(203  ) 


VOCABULARY 

O  F 

English  and  Eskima  WORDS. 


AN  Arm,  T:elluck. 
An  Arrow,  Caukjuck. 
To  be  angry,  Nock-que- 
took. 
Affrighted,  Ukzinck. 
An  aged  Woman,  Nin-ne-ouck. 

B 

Brother,  Nu-ca-auk. 

Beads,  Se-pung-nut. 

A  Bear,  Nung-nouk. 

The  Belly,  Now-ha-kaw. 

A  Bird,  Kuper  nu-awk. 

The  Breaft,  Suck-ke-uck. 

The  Backfide,  No-lo-a'w. 

Breeches,  Cock-le-ake. 

To  bite,  Ke-e-itke. 

Boots,  Cam-meke. 

Boys,  Su-o-fuke. 

Blood,  Oiv-ouk, 

Bawl  or  cry  out,  Ko-qua-  took. 

To  break  Wind,  Ne-luck-took. 

A  Bow,  Petick-fc. 

The  Eye-brow,  Caup-loot. 


To  change  this,  Ah-kil-k-lu-oivk, 
The  Chin,  Tap-lou. 


Come  here,  Ki-le-ouf. 
A  Child,  Nu-taiv-ouk. 
A  Captain,  Of-tan-nuck. 
The  Cheek,   Ou-lu-uck-cur . 
A  Cap,  Najock. 
A  Canoe,  Ki-rock. 
A  Coat,  Kut-te-e. 
Cold,  E-ke-ouk-fiick. 
A  Cat,  Am-mi-oke. 
To  cut,  Ou-lim-ma-toke. 

D 

Deer,  Tuke-tow. 
Day,  Ou-pul-hike. 
Darknefs,  Ou-nu-aiik. 
Dog,  Kfig-me~tmck. 
Dead,  To-co-rock. 
Devil,  To-7iu-ock. 
To  dive,  No-cock-toke. 
To  dig,  0/J-/i/. 


The  Eyes,  £/j/V^. 

The  Ears,  Se-ii-teck. 

An  Eagle,  Ouk-pick. 

To  eat,  No-e-youk. 

An  Egg,  Mannick. 

An  Enemy,  or  one  that  ftrives  to 

kill ,  To-cout-fi-nie-f?ii-  roke. 

D  d  2  Father. 


Father,  Af-fa-tu-ak. 

Fog,  Tuck-took. 

I*"ox,  Ter'in-ne-uck. 

To  faften,  ^e-hick-tok. 

To  fight,  Oii-ne-tok-tuck-ln-eh. 

Fingers,  Crin-me-nii-et . 

The  firfl  Finger,  Tick-yuck. 

The  middle  ditto,  Cj-e-tiick-fuck. 

The  ring  ditto,  Me-ke-le-ouk. 

TheFifli,  Vki-look. 

The  Uttle  Finger,  Lick-it-cock, 

A  Foot,  E-te-ket. 

The  Heel  of  the  Foot,    Kitjg- 

meck, 
The  Sole  of  the  Foot,  A-lung-a. 
Fire,  E-ko-ma. 
Flefh,  No-ki. 
To  follow,  Me-kting-auk. 
Black  Fox,  Tree-ig-ne-uck-ko-no~ 

tock. 

G 
A  Gun,  Hoo-ke-oot. 
Get  you  out,  Oiv-le-le-out. 
Give  it  me,  Ki-le-oak. 
A  Goofe,  Nuck-loke. 
Get  up,  Muck-ke-le-out. 
To  grieve,    or  be  forry,    Ning- 

ne-ok-took. 
Ground,  Nu-nak. 
Guts,  Ela-iva-be-eet . 
Girls,  Htmg-nock. 
Good,  Nac-uk'toke. 

H 

The  Head,  Ne-aw-cock. 
The  Hair,  New-7'ock. 
The  Hand,   Alguite. 
The  Heart,  Ou-mut. 


204    ) 

To  hang,  Cre-me-toke. 

Make  hafte,  fwa-ve-o-vif. 

Hatchet,  WiUimout. 

A  Horn,  Nock-zuck. 

A  Houfe  or  Tent,  7«^^  «f/5. 


Iron  or  Knife,  Sba-veck. 
An  impudent  Fellow,  No-koo-e- 
took. 

K 
A  Knee,  Seat-coke. 
To  keep  it,  Oo-voiig-ah. 


Light,  Ou-pe-hick. 
Leg,  Ki-naw-auk. 
To  laugh,  Co-ang-took. 
You  lie,  Shuk-le-rook. 
Lay  it  down,  Lal-Ia- la-oat. 
Little,  Mik-ke-  u-awk-rook,  " 
Lead,  Koo-fuck-fe-ock. 

M 
A  Mufqueteer,  Kic-to-e-al-luck- 

toke. 
Mouth,  Con-nock. 
Mittings,  Po-illuck. 
The  Moon,  Tai-cock. 
A  Man,  Ang-hoot. 
To-morrow,  How-ook-put. 
Much,  JVon-na-tve-uk-tuck-hiit. 
Mother,  An-na- na  tha. 

N 
Nofe,  Cri7ig-yauk. 
Neck,  Coon- e -Joke. 
Navel,  Kaw-le-foke. 

Nails, 


(    2.05    ) 


Nails,  Cook-e-eet. 
Needle,  Mid -coot. 

O 

Oil,  Fat,  or  Blubber,  Oak-Jlroke, 


Porcupine,  Oo-ke-took. 
A  Paw,  Kooke-do-an-net. 
A  Paddle,   Pow-ef-tick. 

Quickeehatch,  Cap-veck. 
Quick,  Twa-'ve-o-let. 

R 

A  Rabbet,  Avign- ark-rook. 
Rain,  Se-lal-luk-toke. 
Ruft,  Man-nuck-toke. 
Ropes  or  Lines,  Ouk-fu-muk, 


I  want  to  go  to  fleep,  Wing-le- 

pah  -fe-  me-oma-luk-  conga. 
To  go  to  Stool,  An-nos-pah, 
To  iing,  Eming-ne-ok-toke. 
Stars,  Ouh-low-yar-tuk-toke, 
Skin,  Am-me-auk. 
Go  afhore,  Nu-nahile-eut. 
Seal,   Nat-choke. 
Sea,  Ut-koo-nok-tuk-lea. 
Sun,   Suck-ki-nuck. 
A  Ship,  0-tne-ank. 
Salmon,    Halluck. 
Summer,  Owafa. 


Take  time,  Tiva-vi-ogn-Jiock. 
Tree,   No-pah-toke. 


Thick,  Epi-o-lu-auk. 
Thin,  Sha-toke. 
The  Thumb,  Coop-lu. 

U 

To  vomit,  Mith-e- ark-tool 

W 

A  Wliale,  Ki-le-lu-ok. 
Whalebone,  Shoot. cock. 
Winter,  Ukink. 
Wolf,  Am-mah-oke. 


Yes,  An-yuck-toke. 
Young  Man,  Eno-fuck-toke. 
Young  Woman,  Ne-be-uck-fetik. 


Sentences. 

I  Love  you,  Na-cuck-tuck. 
Next  Summer,  XJ-pin-nack- 
pit-Oufa. 
1  love  you,  you  are  my  Brother, 

Nu-ca-a-nacucktuck-u-bunga. 
Don't  be  afraid,    Uck-zin-uck- 

uck-zi-biet. 
Come  again,   Kay-ma-la-le-vuf- 

if. 
Bring  fome  more,  Kay-fe-ma-la- 

le-vut-it. 
Change  this  for  Whalebone,  A- 

ki-  It-  law-  ut-foof-  cock. 
Throw  it  away,  ll-le-iick. 
Take  hold,  Te-wil-lt-ouk. 


A  VO- 


(  206  ) 


A  SHORT 


VOCABULARY 


OF   THE 

Language  fpoke  among  the  Northern  Indians  inhabit- 
ing the  North-weft  Part  of  Hudfons  Baj^  as  it  was 
taken  at  different  times  from  the  Mouths  of  Nahiana 
and  Zazana^  two  Indians^  who  were  on  board  His 
Majefty's  Ship  the  Furnace  in  the  Year  1 742,  by  Ed- 
fward  Thompfofiy  Surgeon  of  the  faid  Ship. 


A 

AFRAID,   TJa-at-hooh. 
Arms,  Tenea-ick-the-ou. 
An   Arrow,   Say-yo-fay- 
boo. 

Arfe,  Tene-clangh. 
Aflaes,  Encali-hooza. 

B 
Back,  Tene-lojfe. 
A  Beaver  Coat,  Charrough. 
A  Bed,  Et's-fal-thec-nec. 
Belly,  T'enabut. 
A  Belt,  Ith-thou. 
Belly-ach,  Ei-yah. 
Buckles,  Aca-li-ca-Ja-coon. 
Breaft,  'Teiie  cau  jau. 
Breeches,  Clo-hee. 


A  Button,  Boro  deli. 

A  Shirt  Button,   Petabatba     a. 

A  Blanket,  Elclunee. 

A  Book,  EdicUJh, 

A  Bottle,  Cotiaut-helk. 

To  blow  with  the  Mouth,  C(?»- 

nelugh. 
Ball  or  large  Shot,  Ajjinnee. 
A  Boat  or  Canoe,  Chaliiz.ee. 
To  blow  the  Nofe,  Te  eetche. 
Broth,  Son  fon  chize. 
Blood,  Dell. 
A  Boy,  Eiiot-o-zou. 
Blue  Cloth,  E.thcloofj  delzhtne. 
A  Brufh,  Petacanatachildi . 
Brandy,  Cla-hoo-ze,  or  Co-at  hoi, 
A  Bow,  Atheike. 
Black,  Del-fec-nan. 

Cheek, 


(    2.07    ) 


Cheek,  Tene  clot  ten. 

Chin,  Teneottati. 

A  Coat,  Scoracai. 

Come  hither,  Oudezza. 

A  Cap  or  Hat,  Psat  il  cozee. 

Copper,  Cha  cha  nal  cozee. 

A  Copper  Mine,    Chachanalco- 

zee  -hau. 
A  Canoe  or  Boat,  Chaluzee. 
Cold,  Adzak. 
A  Comb,  Thec-it-fec. 
A  Crow,  Ta-at-fau. 
A  Chip,  No-coth'thee. 
A  Cat  Eng.  Che-yah-zoo. 

Wild,  Ha-e-dah. 
To  cry,  Tsa-at-fau. 
To  cough,  Zetcoth. 
A  Captain,  Belahugina. 
A  Can,  Helle. 
Hoops  ditto,  a  High. 
Lid    ditto,     Helle-dau-cau-ne- 

honne. 
Bottom  ditto,  Helle- claw. 
To  call.  Clay. 
To  carry,  Honne-hough. 
To  cut,  Su-fu-la. 
What  do  you  call  this,  Nick- 

claw-diddee. 

D 

A  Deer,  All-thun, 

Deers  Fat,  Ai-thun  Chizza. 

A  Door,  The-o-balle. 

A  Door  Lock,  The-o-balk-Clule, 

A  Drum,  Tat-tel-chee. 

A  Dog,  A-Jiel-wopo. 

A  Duck,  E-hoO'Cah. 


Dead,  Zo- he-la. 
Deep,  Shoo-can. 
To  dance,  Hela. 


Ears,   Tene'tfa-w. 

To  eat,  Che-chellee. 

Eyes,  Tene  na?i. 

An  Englifhman,  Be  la  hoo  It. 

An  Efkimaux,   At-hee-na. 

An  Ermin,  Del-coi-a-yen. 


Fat  or  Greafe,  Chizza. 

The  Fore-head,  Tene-fe-an-bau. 

Fingers,  Te-ne-la-clathec. 

Feet,  Tene-crah. 

A  File,  Oh-coll. 

Fire,  0  del-chat. 

Feathers,  Et-the-fhau. 

Fire  or  Explofion  of  a  Gun,  C««r 

Fat  in  general,  Her-ha. 

To  Fart,   Say-et-fun. 

To  fight,  Hel-choo-it-hel. 

AFiih,  Cloo-he-za. 

A  Fifh-hook,  Gee-eth. 

A  Fifhing  Line,  Eda-cluth. 

Afar  off,  Watho. 

G 

Garters,  Co-nelli-co-thee. 
Get  you  gone,  Onni-ou-onna. 
Give  it  me,   Et-i?i-Chm-et-hen- 

foo. 
A  Gimblet,  Chan-et  thee. 
A  Goofe,  Hah. 
To  greafe  the  Skin,  Sbu-7iaelt~ 

fnin. 

Gloves, 


(     2.08    ) 


Gloves  or  Mittens,  E-la-giJh. 
A  Gun,  Il-ker-tbee. 

The  Parts  belonging  to  a  Gun, 
A  Ram-Rod,  llke-co-cotha. 
A  Gun  Lock,   like  the  Solla. 
A  Gun  Barrel,   like  the  Soola. 
A  Gun  Stock,  like  the  Akaiigh. 
The  Hammer,  like  the  Electha, 
Feather  Spring,  Tha-o-de. 
Fore  Plate,  Tho-la-do. 
Black  Plate,  like  the  'Thaunec. 
A  Screw  Nail,  Doo-del-do-thee. 
A  Flint,   Cla-elcol. 
A  Cock,  like  the  Na-a-tanan. 
A  Plate,  Hoo-elth-onee. 
ThcMuzXe,  Kethe-dy. 
The  Guard,  Tau-nau-ne-aulee. 
The  Britch,   like  the  Ee-cau-na. 
Britch  Plate,  SoTis-fo-nit-than. 
Cap  on  the  Rammer,  like  the 

Nan-da-onne. 
Pipes,  Can  -  cau-  oth-idde-  onne. 
Worm  for  a  Gun,  Cau-oth-deth. 

H 

The  Head,  Te-net-thee. 

The     Fore-head,     Te?iet-fe-an- 

haw. 
The  Hair  of  the  Head,    Tenet - 

tkea-  can. 
The  Hands,  Tene-laio. 
Nail  of  the  Hand,  Ten-ee  co-nee. 
Handkerchief,  Coth  e-coth  ee. 
A  Hatchet,  Tha  elth. 
A  hungry,  Pa-bath-hit. 
Hold,  At  tough. 
A  Hat,     Chaw-cauk-holleey     or 

Chaw-  ell-  collee. 


To  hickup,  Shuzz. 
The  Head-ach,  Ei-yaivh. 


I,  or  myfelf,  She. 
Ink,    Pe-ti  da-clijfe. 
Ice,   Claw. 
An  Ifland,  Ca-ow-dez. 

K 

A  Key,  Sa-challee. 

To  kill  or  murder,  If-keth. 

To  kill  or  fhoot  Game,  Att-hel- 

coth. 
The  Knee,  Tene-cha-cut. 
A  Knife,  Pace. 


A  Lake,  Ic-too-rough. 

To  laugh,  Na-chen-claw. 

A  Launce,  At-hei-coo. 

Leather,  Helcoll. 

The  Legs,  Tene-cha-thee. 

The  Lips,  Tene-atough. 

A  Looking- glafs,  Et-fmee-e-au. 

A  Loufe,  E-yah. 

To  lick,  To-ro-bah. 

To  loofe,  or  loft,  Hoo-la. 

A  Liar,  Att-thun-thuee . 

M 

The  Moon,  Ec-clee-faw. 
The  Mouth,  Tene-aw-'oauh. 

N 
A  Nail,   Hoot-fal. 
Nail  of  the  Hand,  Tenee-conee. 
A  Needle,  Tha  loon-can- helle. 
The  Neck,  Tene  cafjan. 

The 


(    2,09    ) 


The  Nofe,  Tene-chee. 
Noflrils,  'Tha-nee-ah. 
Nothing,  See-hoo-la. 


An  Otter, 


O 

Nabbee, 


Paint,  T-Jhee. 

Palm  of  the  Hand,    Tha-a-£lo- 

hoi. 
Paper,  Eddiclijh-tha. 
A  Pen,  A-a-ai-ca-na. 
A   Pidlure,    Teneyoi-ac-Eddicli^ 

fioer. 
A  Piftol,  like  the  oo-la. 
To  pifs,  Eth-cluzz. 
A  Tobacco  Pipe,  Chel-to-hii-gi~ 
.  na. 

A  Pillow,  Thee-all. 
A  Pocket,  El-konnah. 
Gun-Powder,  Elcona. 
A  Shot  Pouch,   Ick-ke-thee  thee, 
A  Plover,  Ab-collee. 
A  Powder- Horn,  Agrada. 
Man's  Privaties,  Tene-yo-tha. 

A  Bed  Quilt,  Hell. 

R 

A  Rabbit,  Cau-choi-a-zou. 

A  Ruler  for  Books,  Ediclijh-ca- 

na. 
A  River,  See-bee-la. 
Red  Cloth,  Ec-cloon-del-cozee, 


Salt,  Teeth- thy. 

Sand,  Ho-deh. 

The  Sea,  Ic-too-oz-unne. 

To  fcratch,  Eif-eit-fal. 

A  Shirt,  Ehee. 

A  Pair  of  Sciflars,  Tha-o-befs. 

Tofhoot,  JJketh. 

A  Ship,  Cha-co. 

A  Shot-Pouch,  or  little  Bag,  llk- 
ke-the-tha. 

Shoes,  Kin  nee  chee. 

Smoak,  Ka-na-clude. 

To  fmack  with  the  Lips,    Ho,- 

dat-thoi. 
To  fhoot  a  Deer,  ^c.  Cha-elcol. 
To  fhoot  or  kill,  At-hellcoth. 
A  Sore,  Tene-caw. 
Stockings,  Thigh. 
Shirt    Button,     Tetabathacana' 

chide. 
Sleep,  Itfal-thee-nee. 
To    fmoak  Tobacco,    Che-chel- 

loot. 
Small  Shot,  Elgijh-hee. 
A  Spoon,  Clooi. 
To  fhoot,  or  fire  a  Gun,  IJketh- 

all-o. 
Snow,  Tath. 
The  Sun,  Saw. 
To  fneeze,  Ta-ice. 
To  S— — t,  Say-et-funa, 
To  fpit,  Hee-J'a. 
Summer,  Attoughoana. 


E  e 


A  Table, 


(    2,10    ) 


T 

A  Table,  Bed-hel^kenau. 

Teeth,  Tene-hough. 

Ten,  A-7ioth-noo. 

Thirty,  Cutb-a-?ia-na. 

Three,  At-hoi. 

Twenty,  Cu-na-noth-noo. 

Two,  Chella-telle. 

Tenting,    or   Covering,    Ne-o- 

balle. 
A  Tinder-Box,  Cla-el-thodde. 
Tinder,  Cla-elth. 
The  Thighs,  I'ene-wough'l. 
I  thank  you,  Gon-na-zoo. 
Thread,  Pe-ta-nel-coz. 
This,  Diddee. 
Thou,  or  you,  Nin. 
Thirfty,  Too-hoo-lee. 
The  Tongue,  'Tene-thoon. 
Touchwood,  Ke-nelt-thee. 
Tobacco,  Chel-to-hee. 
A  Tobacco  Pipe,  Chel-fo-hugina. 
A  Tent,  Ta-ho-thy. 


V 

To  vomit,  Cla-a-coi. 

W 

Water,  Ic-too. 
A  Watch,  San-ya-zoo. 
A  Walkin-ftick  or  Cane,  'Tthelth. 
A  Whet-ftone,   Pe-fo-coll. 
White  Cloth,   Ethcloon-dellcoz. 
Where,  Ei-ya-guze. 
What,  Onna. 
AWhaway,  Hoo-cah, 
A  Periwig,  "Tfah. 
Winter,  Adz-a-halla. 
Wind,  Elk-ker. 
A  Window,  Ey-ah. 
To  wafli,    ShunnacltJlou7i. 
A  Woman,  Tene-laiv. 
A  Worm  for  a  Gun,  Caw- of h- 
deth. 


You,  or  thou,  Nin. 


The  'Northern  Indians  Way  of  Counting. 


ONe,  Zodeneah. 
Two,  Chellafelle, 
Three,  Athot. 
P'our,  Tenetthee. 
Five,  Sha-Jha-loi. 
Six,  El-cak-hoi. 
Seven,  Sa-pant-hoi, 


Eight,  EJcadre. 
Nine,  Eccloi-a-hant-hoi. 
Ten,  0-noth-noo. 
Eleven,  Ecoltre. 
Twenty,  Cu-na-noth-nco, 
Thirty,  Cuth-a-na-na. 


The 


( i"  ) 


The  Parts  belonging  to  a  MAN. 


THe  Head,  Tenet-thee. 
Fore-head,    Tenet-fean- 
haw. 
Hair,  Tenet-fhea-caiv. 
Ears,  Tenef-faiv. 
Eye,  Tenne-naw. 
Nofe,   Tene-chee. 
Cheek,  'Teiie-clotten, 
Chin,  Tene-ottaw. 
Mouth,  Tene-aw-'vauh. 
Lips,  Tene-a-tough. 
Teeth,  Tene-hough. 
Tongue,  Tenet-thoon. 
Neck,  Tene-cajfau. 
Breaft,  Tene-caw-jaw. 


Back,  Tene-tojfee. 

Belly,  Tene-buk. 

Man's  Privaties,  Tene~yo-tha. 

Arm,  Tene-ick-the-ow. 

Lower  Part  of  the  Arm,  Tene- 

ick-the-na. 
Hands,  Tene-law. 
Fingers,   Tene-la-Clather, 
Nail  of  the  Hand,   Ten-ee'Con- 

ner. 
Thighs,   Tene-waughL 
Knee,  Tene-cha-cut, 
Leggs,  Tene-cha-thee. 
Feet,  Tene-crah. 
Arfe,  Tene-clough. 


FINIS, 


ERRATA. 


Page  10,  Line  24,  for  contiguous  read  continuous,  p.  20,  1.  4,  for //iarA  read 
Her/is.  p,  23,  1.  35,  forur  read^^.  p.  30,  1.  2,  for  Meat  read  yj/fa/.  p.  34,  1.  7, 
for  Beaver  read  Beeves,  p.  48,  1.  24,  after /ir  read  tf^.  p.  52,  1.  36,  for  W(?/^V  read 
majh'd.  p.  61,  1.  13,  foi  Ca?nanitigayan  rezd  Camanijfigayan,  p.  64,  1.  II,  for  Ga- 
viaxafki  read  Gamarajki.  p.  96, 1.  17,  for  JVilfon  read  Smith,  p,  98, 1.  9,  for  y?)^  tf«/V 
rtzAJhewn  it.  p.  120,  1.  35,  zitei  even  read  /^f.  p.  139,  1.  3.5,  ioxTedfoiendTeeif. 
p.  141,  1.18,  iox  Mbicave  KzA  Albicores, 


X.    "■ }